Monday, December 12, 2016

BacterioFiles 280 - Saccharomyces Smash Small Spaces

This episode: Microbes in tight spaces grow so much they can build up pressure and burst out!
Download Episode (5.5 MB, 6 minutes)

Show notes:
News item

Video: cells expanding walls of chamber
Video: cells squished together
Video: cells bursting out of chamber

Journal Paper:
Delarue M, Hartung J, Schreck C, Gniewek P, Hu L, Herminghaus S, Hallatschek O. 2016. Self-driven jamming in growing microbial populations. Nat Phys 12:762–766.

Other interesting stories:

  • Fungi can infect and kill mosquito larvae
  • Buildings could enhance our encountering beneficial microbes
  • Bacteria could generate micro amounts of power
  • Microbes could help improve food supply (paper)
  • Modified E. coli can produce more useful fuels, chemicals

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

    Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play, support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter, or Facebook

    Monday, December 5, 2016

    BacterioFiles 279 - Hijacker Heightened Hyphal Heterogeneity

    Spore-forming fungus
    This episode: Fungi control their cell's growth and division with a protein from a virus, unlike all other kinds of eukaryote!
    Download Episode (8.9 MB, 9.75 minutes)

    Show notes:
    News item

    Journal Paper:
    Medina EM, Turner JJ, Gordân R, Skotheim JM, Buchler NE. 2016. Punctuated evolution and transitional hybrid network in an ancestral cell cycle of fungi. eLife 5:e09492.

    Other interesting stories:
  • Certain starch may help improve gut community
  • Gut bacteria could control insect pests
  • Pathogen produces anti-microbial compounds (paper)
  • Phage feeds on host bacterium's RNA
  • Studying tiny archaea from Yellowstone

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

    Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play, support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter, or Facebook