Monday, October 26, 2015

BacterioFiles 235 - Dust DNA Detectives with Dr. Dunn

Rob Dunn, NC State University
This episode: I talk with Dr. Rob Dunn about his team's research into determining where a dust sample comes from based on the microbes present in it!


Download Episode (12.6 MB, 13.7 minutes)

Show notes:
News item/Journal Paper
The Dunn lab
Books

Other interesting stories:
  • Certain gut bacteria could help animals feed on new foods (paper)
  • Potential for engineering our own microbiome
  • Bacteria could help clean up radioactivity at Fukushima
  • Bacteria could make better fruit fly traps (paper)
  • Acid-resistant bacterium could help with stomach infections (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.

    Monday, October 19, 2015

    BacterioFiles 234 - Phone, Floor Phylum Forensics

    This episode: Learning things about people's identity and movements from microbial communities on their phones and shoes!


    Download Episode (5.4 MB, 5.8 minutes)

    Show notes:
    News item 1/News item 2/Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Bacteria that live in the deepest part of the ocean
  • Gut bacteria, birth conditions, and weight are related (paper)
  • Bee microbiomes stay pretty constant
  • Early gut bacteria associated with food allergy risk
  • Gut bacteria could relate to ability to control blood sugar

  • 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 12, 2015

    BacterioFiles 233 - Messy Microbes Maintain Mouse Microbiota

    This episode: Mice in less sanitary conditions have more diverse gut communities and perhaps less allergy!

    Download Episode (8.15 MB, 8.8 minutes)

    Show notes:
    Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Fertilizer leads to less-helpful soil bacteria
  • Sponge bacteria help corals get phosphorus
  • Another way to use microbial electricity to produce hydrogen
  • Soap has bacteria too
  • Corals are eating plastic; is it harmful?

  • 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 5, 2015

    BacterioFiles 232 - Exploring Enzymes' Element Effects

    This episode: Bacteria can convert soluble uranium to an insoluble form, and distinguish between different isotopes!

    Download Episode (8.2 MB, 8.9 minutes)

    Show notes:
    News item/Journal Paper

    Other interesting stories:
  • Bacteria could help degrade environmental chemical contaminant (paper)
  • Phage could treat dental infections
  • Bacteria and grass together clean up soil
  • Mutant E. coli keeps getting longer without dividing
  • Algae could produce malaria vaccine

  • 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.