Tuesday, October 28, 2014

BacterioFiles 188 - Rat Residents Relieve Resin Roughness

Woodrat in front of creosote bush
This episode: Gut bacteria in Mojave desert woodrats help them detoxify and eat toxic creosote bushes!

Download Episode (10 MB, 10.8 minutes)

Show notes:
News item/Journal Paper

Other interesting stories:
  • It can be hard to recover a good microbiota
  • Aphids' bacterial symbionts can activate plant defenses against aphids
  • Probiotic bacterial strain could protect against cadmium toxicity (paper)
  • Predatory bacteria can prey on pathogens (paper)
  • Microbes can prevent some species from hybridizing


  • Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

    Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at TwitterMicrobeWorld, or Facebook

    This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

    Monday, October 20, 2014

    BacterioFiles 187 - Bacteria Bolster Bedbug Biotin

    This episode: Some Wolbachia bacteria produce vitamin B7 for their insect hosts!

    Download Episode (7.1 MB, 7.75 minutes)

    Show notes:
    Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Play classic video games with live microbes
  • Bacterial polysaccharides could make better low-fat products
  • Getting rid of H. pylori could be associated with obesity
  • Bacteria fight against bad fungal infection of rice
  • Converting plant parts directly into ethanol


  • Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

    Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at TwitterMicrobeWorld, or Facebook

    This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

    Monday, October 13, 2014

    BacterioFiles 186 - Matched Mice, Mismatched Microbiota

    This episode: Gut microbes can be different even in genetically identical mice in similar conditions!

    Download Episode (7.4 MB, 8 minutes)

    Show notes:
    Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Bacteria could make building materials using less energy
  • Even in placenta bacteria can be important for health
  • Seeing if algae (and thus, plants) can survive in space
  • Bacteria can make plastic out of methane gas
  • Some fungi could adapt to Mars-like conditions within a few days (paper)


  • Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

    Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at TwitterMicrobeWorld, or Facebook

    This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

    Tuesday, October 7, 2014

    BacterioFiles 185 - Bacteroid Builds Beta-lactam Buffer

    This episode: Antibiotic-degrading probiotics protect mouse gut microbes from hostile pathogen takeover after antibiotic treatment!

    Download Episode (7.8 MB, 8.5 minutes)

    Show notes:
    News item/Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Insect bacterial symbionts can pass to offspring through sperm (paper)
  • Studying human history thru microbes in fossilized feces
  • Fungi can clean up composting-resistant pollutants in soil
  • Microbes could make useful product from industrial wastewater
  • Bacterial toxin could be used to target colon cancer cells


  • Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

    Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at TwitterMicrobeWorld, or Facebook

    This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.