Patricia Dello Sterpaio
PhD student SIMBIOS
Teaching Fellow School of Contemporary Sciences
E: p.d.sterpaio@abertay.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1382 308153
General Information
Research interests
Soil stability is essential for the optimum growth of plants, and the architecture of soil is fundamentally influenced by the microflora present. However, the link between physio-chemistry of soil microbes and their function is poorly understood.
The presence of bacterial cells influences the moisture content of the soil due to their surface tension and polar properties. In addition to the cells themselves, soil bacteria produce mucilage, which aids in the modification of their environment, and in biofilm formation. In this study, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), in particular cellulose, and extracellular proteins (EPro), from Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 strains, will be analysed individually and their effect on water retention and flow in soil elucidated. Another structure of gram-negative bacterial cells is the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer, which is composed of a lipid portion buried in the outer membrane of the cell and a carbohydrate portion, which projects from the cell surface. The carbohydrate portion of the LPS possesses a core polysaccharide containing sugars and phosphates, contributing to the negative charge on the bacterial surface, which will affect surface tension and therefore adhesion and also the relative hydrophobicity of the cell.
The aims of this study are to produce and characterise soil bacteria exudate that forms the biofilm matrix, and to characterise surface properties of the bacterial cells in order to elucidate their effect on water retention and flow.
Teaching Interests
Module Tutor for Year 8 Molecular & Cellular Biology. Practical supervisor of MSc Analytical Project students.
Background
BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, Napier University, Edinburgh 1999 MSc (by research), University of Dundee 2004