BacterioFiles 354 - Prokaryote Protection Promotes Protein Passing

Pectobacterium cells
By: The James Hutton Institute

This episode: The bacterial immune system, CRISPR-Cas, can enhance gene transfer via transduction (phages carrying bacteria DNA) despite preventing it via conjugation!

Thanks to Bridget Watson for her contribution!

Download Episode (14.9 MB, 16.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Human polyomavirus 8

Journal Paper:
Watson BNJ, Staals RHJ, Fineran PC. 2018. CRISPR-Cas-Mediated Phage Resistance Enhances Horizontal Gene Transfer by Transduction. mBio 9:e02406-17.

Other interesting stories:

• Using yeast in packets to measure exposure to radiation
• Light-controlled swimming bacteria can be shaped into complex patterns
• Special bacteria could help people lacking an enzyme avoid food toxicity

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

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 353 - Pathogen Prevents Pathogen Pervasion

Streptococcus (green) and
Staphylococcus (red)
together in biofilm.
By: Reddinger et al, 2018, mBio

This episode: Some bacteria that can cause pneumonia can prevent other bacteria from doing the same!

Download Episode (9.6 MB, 10.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Bell pepper mottle virus

Journal Paper:
Reddinger RM, Luke-Marshall NR, Sauberan SL, Hakansson AP, Campagnari AA. 2018. Streptococcus pneumoniae Modulates Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Dispersion and the Transition from Colonization to Invasive Disease. mBio 9:e02089-17.

Other interesting stories:

• Trying to get plants and beneficial microbes to work together better
• Unusual strain of corn cultivates bacteria that fix nitrogen for it
• Cool protozoan has super speedy body contraction

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

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 352 - Staphylococcus Stops Skin Swellings

Staphylococcus epidermidis

This episode: A harmless strain of bacteria on the skin produces a compound that can prevent tumors from forming!

Download Episode (9.2 MB, 10 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Hamiltonella virus APSE1

News item

Journal Paper:
Nakatsuji T, Chen TH, Butcher AM, Trzoss LL, Nam S-J, Shirakawa KT, Zhou W, Oh J, Otto M, Fenical W, Gallo RL. 2018. A commensal strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis protects against skin neoplasia. Sci Adv 4:eaao4502.

Other interesting stories:

• Eating crickets could be good for your gut microbes
• Even probiotic bacteria could cause problems if they overgrow

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

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BacterioFiles 351 - Tupanvirus Transports Translation Tools

Tupanvirus pictures
From: Abrahão et al,
2018, Nat Commun 9:749

This episode: A new giant virus has genes for a surprisingly complete system of protein synthesis!

Download Episode (10.1 MB, 11.1 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Phocid alphaherpesvirus 1

Video of tupanvirus intracellular factory

Journal Paper:
Abrahão J, Silva L, Silva LS, Khalil JYB, Rodrigues R, Arantes T, Assis F, Boratto P, Andrade M, Kroon EG, Ribeiro B, Bergier I, Seligmann H, Ghigo E, Colson P, Levasseur A, Kroemer G, Raoult D, La Scola B. 2018. Tailed giant Tupanvirus possesses the most complete translational apparatus of the known virosphere. Nat Commun 9:749.

Other interesting stories:

• Gut microbes can help with the healthy effects of berries (paper)
• Leaf microbes can protect plants from pathogens, at least when plants aren't fertilized
• Exploring the microbes living on an 18th century mummy (paper)

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

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BacterioFiles 350 - Microbes Mysteriously Make Methane

Nitrogenase protein structure
By Jjsjjsjjs - Own work
CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: A version of the microbial enzyme that fixes nitrogen can also convert carbon dioxide to methane!

Download Episode (11.8 MB, 12.9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Human mastadenovirus D

Journal Paper:
Zheng Y, Harris DF, Yu Z, Fu Y, Poudel S, Ledbetter RN, Fixen KR, Yang Z-Y, Boyd ES, Lidstrom ME, Seefeldt LC, Harwood CS. 2018. A pathway for biological methane production using bacterial iron-only nitrogenase. Nat Microbiol 3:281–286.

Other interesting stories:

• Gut bacterial metabolite helps protect mice against gut pathogen

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

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 349 - Magnet Microbes Make Millivolts

Magnetotactic bacteria with
magnetosome chains visible
From: Edouard Alphandéry
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2014.00005

This episode: Bacteria that contain tiny magnets can generate an electric current!

Download Episode (6.8 MB, 7.4 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Mamastrovirus 2

Journal Paper:
Smit B.A., Van Zyl E., Joubert J.J., Meyer W., Prévéral S., Lefèvre C.T., Venter S.N. 2018. Magnetotactic bacteria used to generate electricity based on Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. Lett Appl Microbiol 66:362–367.

Other interesting stories:

• Deep-sea fangly fishes have tight relationship with their light-producing bacteria

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

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BacterioFiles 348 - Huge Host Hackers Have Historic Histones

Marseillevirus
By: Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics

This episode: Giant viruses produce DNA-packing proteins that seem to have branched off from eukaryotes far back in evolutionary history!

Download Episode (6 MB, 6.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Caulobacter maris

News item

Journal Paper:
Erives AJ. 2017. Phylogenetic analysis of the core histone doublet and DNA topo II genes of Marseilleviridae: evidence of proto-eukaryotic provenance. Epigenetics & Chromatin 10:55.

Other interesting stories:

Swimming bacteria can affect liquid viscosity, to the point of superfluidity

Tiny soil roundworms can sense and avoid pathogens by their gases

Beetle bacterium makes defensive compound with genes taken from an ocean microbe

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

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Episode outline: