Sophie Groenhof, Biosciences, Sheffield
Chitinophaga are abundant in soil systems across the world, from forest floors to the rhizospheres of many commercial crops. Several have been shown to have plant growth-promoting (PGP) effects, including the production of compounds that boost root and shoot length, suppressing plant diseases, and releasing vital nutrients from the soil matrix. Enhancing or engineering these PGP effects could lead to their use as bio-fertilisers. However, a genetic system is required to manipulate and engineer Chitinophaga. The student would develop such a genetic engineering system by designing and constructing the required basic tools (e.g. plasmids). The Lidbury Lab is ideally placed to tackle this research challenge, having extensive experience in the genetic engineering of closely related Flavobacterium. The project will involve adapting existing cloning plasmids to engineer in a green fluorescent protein to visualise Chitinophaga pinensis and genome edit this bacterium to understand its biology. This is a fantastic opportunity for the student to develop molecular biology and microbiology techniques, and troubleshooting skills. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York in September 2025.