Matters Microbial

Latest Episodes:

Matters Microbial #99: Albert Kluyver—Microbial Unity and Diversity in Metabolism Jul 10, 2025

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Matters Microbial #99: Albert Kluyver—Microbial Unity and Diversity in Metabolism July 10, 2025

Today, Dr. Dianne Newman of Caltech joins the #QualityQuorum live at ASM Microbe in Los Angeles, to discuss the role that Albert Kluvyer played in helping microbial scientists to understand the unity and diversity to be found in microbial metabolism.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Dianne Newman

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A review article by Roberto Kolter about the history of microbiology.
An overview of the "Delft School" of microbiology. Here is another article on that topic.
The 1924 article by Albert Kluyver that Dr. Newman references—very much worth you time.
A video overview of microbial metabolism. Here is a recent article on that topic.
A short biography of Albert Kluyver. Here is another article on that topic.
A wonderful 2023 video seminar by Dr. Newman exploring the unity and diversity of microbial metabolism. Much recommended.
Dr. Newman's faculty website.
Dr. Newman's very impressive research group website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #98: Nesting Dolls of Endosymbiosis Jul 04, 2025

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Matters Microbial #98: Nesting Dolls of Endosymbiosis July 3, 2025

Today, Dr. John McCutcheon of Arizona State University joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the work he and his research group do to investigate the strategies by which microbes become symbionts of other cells. After all, the mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotic cells, including yours, were once bacteria!

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: John McCutcheon

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A video about the symbiosis of Hydra virdissima, which captured my heart when I was young. Look at those symbiotic algae! Here is an overview of this topic.
A video describing the Rhizobium – legume nitrogen fixing symbiosis in all of its glory—by my PhD advisor, the great Dr. Sharon Long. Here is an overview of this topic.
An appreciation of Paul Buchner's very important book, "Endosymbiosis of Animals with Plant Microorganisms."
A wonderful review by Dr. McCutcheon on how symbioses form.
A wonderful essay by Ed Yong about an event that made eukaryotic cells possible: how bacteria became mitochondria.
A story about an anaerobic protist that lost its mitochondria completely.
A bacterial symbiont of mitochondria, the "midichlorian."
The recent discovery of a new integrated symbiont that has become an organelle, the nitrosome.
The "X-bacteria" and amoebae story.
A retrospective on endosymbiosis, and Paramecium based on Tracey Sonneborn's work.
An essay on aphids and bacteria.
An article on the Moranella/Tremblaya symbiosis.
An article on "bacteria inside other bacteria" found in several symbioses, written by Dr.McCutcheon and colleagues.
Genomic instability in bacterial endosymbionts.
An article on cicadas and bacterial endosymbionts from Dr. McCutcheon and colleagues.
An article on mealybugs and bacterial endosymbionts from Dr. McCutcheon and colleagues.
Dr. McCutcheon's thoughts on his career path (so worth reading).
The Center for Mechanisms of Evolution research institute in which Dr. McCutcheon works.
Dr. McCutcheon's faculty website.
Dr. McCutcheon's (and his research team's) wonderful research website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #97: Microbes in the Air (Way) Jun 27, 2025

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Matters Microbial #97: Microbes in the Air (Way) June 27, 2025

Today, Dr. Ari Kozik, Assistant Professor at the University of MIchigan joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the work she and her research group do to investigate microbes living within the lung and their relationship to health as well as microbiology outreach and representation.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Ari Kozik

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Links for this episode

A wonderful discussion of airway microbes.
A thought provoking article about microbes in our breath!
Geography of mouth to lung and relevance to health.
Relevance and definition of the term "microaspiration."
Some general characteristics of anaerobic bacteria
A commercial video explaining the basics of anaerobic chambers
An article about the airway microbiome
A video overview about biofilms
Kombucha sculpture as discussed briefly.
A relevant article from Dr. Kozik's and coworkers.
A video from This Week in Virology including Dr. Kozik about representation in the microbial sciences (very important to watch).
Dr. Kozik's important efforts in science outreach.
Dr. Kozik's faculty website.
Dr. Kozik's research group website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #96: Molecular Microbiology in High Schools Jun 20, 2025

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Matters Microbial #96: Molecular Microbiology in High Schools June 19, 2025

Today, Bob Kuhn, biotechnology teacher at the Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy STEM high school in Alpharetta, Georgia joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his strategies for teaching molecular microbiology skills and concepts to high school students — and why that matters.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Bob Kuhn

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Links for this episode

An article on Mr. Kuhn's original microbiological interest: salt marsh foraminifera.
Another interest: a video of the beautiful organism Volvox.
An overview of the fantastic world of protists.
A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Tiny Earth program.
A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the SEAPHAGES program.
A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Evolving Stem program.
A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Discover the Microbes Within program.
Mr. Kuhn's classroom received help from the University of Georgia Microscopy Center.
A video of the Wolbachia Project with which Mr. Kuhn has collaborated for years.
An overview of wonderful and various isopods, including the "roly polies" used in some Wolbachia work.
The Journal of Emerging Investigators, in which some of Mr. Kuhn's high school students have published.
The LTEE program that studies evolution in E. coli.
The Experiment.com program that supported some of Mr. Kuhn's students.
The very inspirational MEGAplate video that demonstrates how quickly antibiotic resistance can occur.
Innovation Academy STEM program in Georgia, where Mr. Kuhn works with high school students.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #95: Bacteria and Aphids — A Symbiotic Story Jun 13, 2025

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Matters Microbial #95: Bacteria and Aphids — A Symbiotic Story June 12, 2025

Today, Dr. Tory Hendry, Associate Professor of Microbiology at Cornell University, joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the relationship between plant munching aphids and fluorescent Pseudomonas . . . and why we should care.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guests: Tory Hendry

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An overview of siderophores in microorganisms.
An essay about aphid life cycle and characteristics.
An article describing parthenogenesis in aphids.
An essay describing aphids and color vision.
The agricultural costs of aphids as pests.
An article describing aphids and one type of bacterial symbiont.
An overview of microbes of the phyllosphere.
An overview of quorum sensing.
An overview of pyoverdin, a fluorescent siderophore.
An old essay I wrote for the Small Things Considered blog about semiochemicals, bacterial, and insect predation.
A nice description of the work Dr. Hendry talked about during today's podcast.
The actual article by Dr. Hendry and collaborators.
A preprint by Dr. Hendry's research group, following up on the above research.
Dr. Hendry's faculty website.
Dr. Hendry's research group website (with SO MANY cool projects to think about, including the topic discussed today).

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #94: One Health and Microbiomes Everywhere Jun 06, 2025

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Matters Microbial #94: One Health and Microbiomes Everywhere June 5, 2025

Today, Dr. Seth Bordenstein and Dr. Nichole Ginnan of Pennsylvania State University join the #QualityQuorum to tell us about their new publication linking One Health to the myriad microbiomes that exist all around us through the lens of the holobiome—and an opportunity to see the world in a different fashion.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guests: Seth Bordenstein and Nichole Ginnan

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Links for this episode

Michele Banks microbially themed art can found at her Etsy site. Highly recommended!
The paper under discussion today, with Dr. Ginnan as first author. You will see that coauthors include Dr. Bordenstein, and two previous visitors to the #MattersMicrobial podcast! Thank you Erika and Francisco.
Dr. Bordenstein's first podcast with #MattersMicrobial for those who missed it.
A review of the One Health concept.
The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State.
A very clear overview of the holobiont concept and biology, authored by Dr. Bordenstein and colleagues.
Another longer review on this topic.
The faculty website for Dr. Ginnan.
The faculty website for Dr. Bordenstein.
The research website for Dr. Ginnan.
The research website for Dr. Bordenstein.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #93: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance May 29, 2025

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Matters Microbial #93: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance May 29, 2025

Today's episode was an in-person podcast at the University of Texas Austin! Dr. Despoina Mavridou, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biosciences, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how her research group improves antibiotic effectiveness by impeding protein folding, and why this matters in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Despoina Mavridou

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Links for this episode

Here is a link to a wonderful video of the #LuxArt by UT-Austin students during my visit. Please give it watch and enjoy the creativity and positive #MicrobialPR.
An effective TED talk by science journalist Maryn McKenna describing the threat of AMR in an accessible fashion.
A CDC report on the growing threat of AMR.
A review article about antibiotics.
An overview of how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.
A very recent review of the cell wall of bacteria—often the target of antibiotics.
A video overview of beta-lactam antibiotics and resistance mechanisms.
An overview of how protein folding is related to activity of proteins…including AMR gene products.
A wonderful article by Dr. Mavridou and coworkers, describing how altering protein folding in bacteria can make them more vulnerable to antibiotics.
A less technical version of the above article; well worth your reading.
Dr. Mavridou's faculty website.
Dr. Mavridou's research group website, which is most interesting.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #92: Microbial Metabolism in Extreme Places May 22, 2025

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Matters Microbial #92: Microbial Metabolism in Extreme Places May 22, 2025

Today, Dr. Valerie DeAnda Torres, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida (and National Geographic Explorer), joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the research her team does, studying the evolution of metabolic pathways in extreme environments . . . and why these are important to geochemical cycling.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Valerie DeAnda Torres

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Links for this episode

The Etsy vendor making the beautiful microbial pins I have mentioned.
A link to Sebastian Cocobia's site where the beautiful E. coli strains I referenced can be obtained.
The beauty and mystery of Paenibacillus colonies.
A video showing a colony of Myxococcus consuming a colony of E. coli.
A fun video of tardigrades singing "Happy birthday" by a former undergraduate student of mine, Dr. Jake Shaffer.
The National Geographic Explorer program, which includes Dr. DeAnda Torres.
The deep sea submersible Alvin, in which Dr. DeAnda Torres has dived!
An overview of methanogenesis, one of the pathways that Dr. DeAnda Torres' research group studies.
A review of biogeochemical cycles in the deep ocean.
The work of my former undergraduate research student, Dr. Paula Welander, on membrane biosignatures in ancient rocks.
A recent review of the Asgard archaea, that may be our ancient ancestors.
Some recent work by Dr. DeAnda Torres and collaborators on the Asgard archaea.
One of the research cruises in which Dr. DeAnda Torres participated.
During one cruise that included an Alvin dive to a hydrothermal vent, Dr. DeAnda Torres and scientists working with her described their work in this livestream partially in Spanish.
Dr. DeAnda Torres will be part of some upcoming collaborative research cruises, seen here.
Here is an article and video describing some of the collaborative work Dr. DeAnda Torres carries out, studying microbial breakdown of PFAS chemicals in marine sediment.
A link to the faculty website of Dr. DeAnda Torres.
A link to the research website of the DeAnda Torres group.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #91: You Are What Your Genes Feed Your Microbiome May 16, 2025

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Matters Microbial #91: You Are What Your Genes Feed Your Microbiome May 16, 2025

Today, Dr. Emily Davenport, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State University, joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the research her team does, studying how our own genes impact our microbiomes.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Emily Davenport

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Links for this episode

A description of GWAS ("Genome Wide Association Study"). Here is an introductory video about the concept.
An explainer on organoids.
An essay about the diversity of the host microbiome (i.e. is there a "healthy" microbiome?).
An article of the work of Dr. Sarkis Mazamian on how individual host genes and bacterial genes can impact the microbiome.
A nice write up for Dr. Mazamian's work showing how host genes and bacterial genes can work together…or not.
An oldish video of how the infant microbiome develops over time by Dr. Rob Knight's research group.
An article on the same topic from Dr. Ruth Ley.
An essay on the mucosal microbiota, rather than the fecal microbiome.
An interesting member of the human microbiome, Akkermansia that might be related to obesity.
Another interesting member of the human microbiome, Bifidobacterium, which appears to be associated with host lactose metabolism. Yes, there is a Giant Microbes plush toy.
An overview of the impact of host genetics on the microbiome by Dr. Davenport.
A definition of heritability.
An overview of the Hutterites and how their study has advanced genetics.
An explainer of the power of twin studies in genetics.
A fascinating article about ancient dental plaque microbiome by Dr. Davenport and others.
Dr. Davenport's faculty website.
Dr. Davenport's research group website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Matters Microbial #90: Using Soil Microbiomes in Sustainable Agriculture May 08, 2025

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Matters Microbial #90: Using Soil Microbiomes in Sustainable Agriculture May 8, 2025

Today, Dr. Francisco Dini Andreote, Assistant Professor of Phytobiomes at Penn State, joins the #QualityQuorum to tell us about the microbiome of plants and the soil, and how understanding that relationship can improve agriculture.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Francisco Dini Andreote

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Links for this episode

An overview of the Type 6 Secretory System of bacteria—almost like a microbial switchblade knife.
A wonderful video of the T6SS made by a student in my own microbiology course some time ago.
A video introduction to the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis and why you should care about it (by my PhD advisor from long ago, Dr. Sharon Long).
A more comprehensive review article on the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis.
The chemical signal of geosmin, and how it might be used by other organisms.
Ecological succession in the development of sauerkraut.
A must read essay by Carl Zimmer likening the human body to a number of ecological niches.
The developing field of agroecology.
A reminder about the "One Health" concept.
Mycorrhizae and plant nutrition.
Chemical communication within the soil.
A fun remembrance of Norman Borlaug, who urged us to "listen" to plants.
An overview of the root microbiome.
The "superorganism" concept versus the "holobiome" concept..
Striga, a parasite of crop plants.
Chemical communication and Striga.
An interesting and relevant publication from Dr. Dini Andreote's research group, describing how the root microbiome could help agriculture.
Dr. Dini Andreote's faculty website.
Dr. Dini Andreote's very wonderful research team website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

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