Matters Microbial

• Matters Microbial #84: Detecting Pathogens — and Worse — in Wastewater

  Matters Microbial #84: Detecting Pathogens — and Worse — in Wastewater March 27, 2025 Today, Dr. Rachel Poretsky, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how examining wastewater (and related water) can give insights into the presence of pathogen antimicrobial resistance genes and even microbial ecology. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Rachel Poretsky Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A link to demonstrate the wonders of the Marine Biological Laboratories’ Microbial Diversity course, which I know for a fact is life changing. Recommended by David Ranada, an article about water bottles and microbes.   An essay about the Chicago River and cholera, which led to the necessity of effective waste water treatment. An overview of the complexities of waste water treatment.  Here is a video on that topic.   An essay by Carl Zimmer about the microbial ecology of lakes…and human beings. How “recreational water quality” is determined. An article describing the microbiota associated with human biological waste with an amusing name (scroll down). How qPCR can be used to determine the prevalence of specific microbes. A recent article from Dr. Poretsky’s research group, investigating how antimicrobial resistance genes can move through a hospital waste water system. A link to the Bacterial-Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center, for which Dr. Poretsky is a Principle Investigator. The Illinois state wastewater surveillance dashboard.  Fascinating! A Discovery Channel documentary on virus hunting and surveillance that includes Dr. Poretsky. Dr. Poretsky’s faculty webpage. Dr. Poretsky’s webpage for her research group. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #83: Helicobacter — Passing the Acid Test

  Matters Microbial #83: Helicobacter — Passing the Acid Test March 19, 2025 Today, Dr. Karen Ottemann, Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the fascinating strategies of Helicobacter pylori, which can cause gastric ulcers and even stomach cancer in people. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Karen Ottemann Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode An overview of Helicobacter pylori and its relationship to gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. A video on the relationship between Helicobacteri pylori and gastric diseases. The story of how Helicobacter pylori was finally demonstrated to be responsible for gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori world wide. When Helicobacter pylori does not cause disease:  a possible theory. The mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori causes gastric ulcers. The mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori causes gastric cancer. An overview of gastric cancer. An overview of inflammation and cancer. One of the articles from Dr. Ottemann’s research group discussed in this episode:  “Bacterial flagella hijack type IV pili proteins to control motility.” Another of the articles from Dr. Ottemann’s research group discussed in this episode:  “Helicobacter pylori cheV1 mutants recover semisolid agar migration due to loss of a previously uncharacterized Type IV filament membrane alignment complex homolog.” Dr. Ottemann’s faculty website. Dr. Ottemann’s research website. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #82: Melanin, Fungi, and Global Warming

  Matters Microbial #82: Melanin, Fungi, and Global Warming March 13, 2025 Today, the impressive Dr. Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins University returns to the podcast to discuss how fungal disease is a looming threat on our warming planet, and how these organisms can use pigmentation to adapt to human-associated environments . . . and increase their chances of causing disease. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Arturo Casadevall Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A video overview of the understudied world of fungi. A CDC overview of fungal diseases. A hopeful study:  fungi, frogs, and purple bacteria.  A less scholarly but highly recommended essay is here. Dr. Casadevall’s earlier visit to #MattersMicrobial. The story of Alexander Fleming, a stray fungal spore, and penicillin. The story of fungi and cyclosporins, which help with organ transplantation in humans. A recent New York Times article on fungal networks. An article about mass extinctions and “fungal overgrowth.” A review of the structure and function of melanin. An overview of how melanin can be used to turn various forms of radiation into energy. A review of high body temperatures versus fungal infections. One of the articles discussed today, from Dr. Casadevall’s group:  “Impact of Yeast Pigmentation on Heat Capture and Latitudinal Distribution.” Another article from Dr. Casadevall’s group discussed today:  “The hypothermic nature of fungi.” A really fascinating preprint from Dr. Casadevall’s group discussed today:  “Thermal and pigment characterization of environmental fungi in the urban heat island of Baltimore City” Dr. Casadevall’s faculty website. The research website for Dr. Casadevall’s group. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #81: Viruses, Innate Immunity, and Undergraduates

  Matters Microbial #81: Viruses, Innate Immunity, and Undergraduates March 5, 2025 Today, Dr. Brianne Barker, Associate Professor of the Biology Department at Drew University, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how her undergraduate research group studies how innate immune mechanisms of cells recognize viral invasion. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Brianne Barker Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode A video describing the immune system, both innate and adaptive. More of a focus on mechanisms of innate immunity, the focus for today. A description of basic immune cells. An introductory video describing the viral reproductive cycle in general. A description of PRRs (pattern recognition receptors) and MAMPs (microbially associated molecular patterns) An overview of interferons and disease. An introductory video overview of programmed cell death, called apoptosis. The role that retroviruses play in producing blue eggs in chickens.  Here is a very introductory summary.   The role that retroviruses play in placental mammals, including humans. How do cells recognize invading DNA during viral infection? A research paper by Dr. Barker’s research group. Dr. Barker on This Week in Virology. Dr. Barker’s faculty website. Dr. Barker’s research group website. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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• Matters Microbial #80: Do Microbes Make the Best Chemists?

  Matters Microbial #80: Do Microbes Make the Best Chemists? February 27, 2025 Today, Dr. Marc Chevrette, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how his research group can study novel metabolites and even interactions via study of microbial genomes! Dr. Chevrette reminds us all that microbes are the best chemists! Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Marc Chevrette Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode  An overview of how quickly the field of microbial genomics has advanced. How secondary metabolites can be important to antibiosis, cell signaling, and even communication. An overview of genome mining, along with another review. The program antiSMASH that analyzes genomes for genes involved with secondary metabolites. A video describing how antiSMASH can be used to search for possible biosynthetic gene clusters. An essay about Dr. Julian Davies. An article by Dr. Davies’ group suggesting that antibiotics can serve as chemical signals between microbes. The idea of “parvomics,” studying the role of small molecules in how microbes communicate and interact. A great article from Dr. Chevrette and colleagues about how to look for biosynthetic diversity using genome mining. An article by Dr. Chevrette and colleagues exploring how groups of microbes can interact in remarkable ways. Dr. Chevrette’s faculty website. Dr. Chevrette’s research website. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

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