microTalk

Cocaine action involves preventing the reuptake of the norepinephrine (NE) transporter, increasing NE and heightening nervous system stimulation.  NE also signals through E. coli receptors to regulate its virulence, but is there a connection between E. coli and cocaine addiction? Dr. Vanessa Sperandio is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin, whose laboratory studies pathogenic E. coli and their interaction with the human host.   Dr. Sperandio describes how E. coli metabolism of glycine in the gut increases addiction to cocaine, how her lab discovered that NE signals through E. coli quorum sensing receptors, how peer review rejection can indicate a novel discovery, how the plasticity of the E. coli pan-genome can lead to rapid and dangerous outbreaks, how treatment of E. coli infections with antibiotics is problematic, how she misses TexMex food, how Wisconsin is a great place to study microbiology, and her vision for the American Academy of Microbiology.  Dr. Marvin Whiteley, editor-in-chief of mBio, joined microTalk on this episode, which was supported by Cholera IV Rehydration Therapy. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Vanessa Sperandio, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin) Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)

The bacterium Vibrio fischeri colonizes the light organ of the bobtail squid, and this is one of the best characterized symbiotic relationships, thanks to the pioneering work of Dr. Ned Ruby and Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai (Caltech University). The symbiotic relationship between Ruby and his lab, who focus primarily on the bacteria, and McFall-Ngai and her lab, who focus primarily on the squid, has led to a deep understanding of what symbiosis really means at the molecular level. microTalk will discuss this fascinating interplay between bacteria and squid, what led them to study this interaction, and what they think we can learn from symbiotic behavior.

microTalk, recorded live at ASM Microbe 2025, examines the current trajectory and future direction of microbiology. Karl and guests address scientific leadership within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), structural changes in the society, and the role of microbiology in addressing complex scientific and societal challenges. Emphasis is placed on research, training, evolutionary thinking, and sustaining a resilient scientific community.   Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/ffij4bCjSG8

Viroids are some of the most unusual biological infectious agents because they consist of only very small circular RNA molecules.  They are too small to encode proteins, yet they are resilient and cause disease in a variety of agriculturally important plants, including cannabis, the sixth largest cash crop in the U.S. Dr. Zamir Punja is a Professor of Plant Biotechnology at Simon Frasier University, whose laboratory studies the cannabis viroid, which he refers to as the "COVID of cannabis".  Dr. Punja describes how viroids only infect plants, how a viroid stunts the growth and potency of cannabis plants, where viroids may have come from, why agricultural practices may enhance the spread of the cannabis viroid, how "beneficial" biological approaches may protect cannabis from infectious agents, and how the beautiful environment of Vancouver promotes good science. Dr. Vince Young joined microTalk on this episode, which was supported by Gordo Sheepsay's My Dope Microscope. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Zamir Punja, Ph.D. (Simon Frasier University) Vincent Young, M.D., Ph.D. (University of Michigan) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA)

Archaea are one of the three domains of life on earth, but these organisms are much more mysterious and less understood than either Bacteria or Eukaryotes.  Dr. Alex Bisson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Brandeis University. His laboratory studies Archaea, primarily focusing on Haloarchaea. Dr. Bisson discusses how Archaea are able to shape-shift from one cell shape to another, how Haloarchaea are able to grow at extremely high salt concentrations, how Archaea cope with being "squishy", how common polyploidy (multiple copies of chromosomes) is among Archaea, how Haloarchaea are able to desalinate soil to allow trees to grow, how Haloarchaea can lie dormant inside Himalayan Pink Salt, and how Boston is an intellectually stimulating place to do science. Dr. Salvador Almagro-Moreno joined microTalk on this episode, which was supported by Gordo Sheepsey's My Brave Little Autoclave. Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA). Alexandre Bisson, Ph.D. (Brandeis University) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA). Salvador Almagro-Moreno (University of Central Florida)