Hello! My name is Adithi, I am an international student from Mauritius, which is in the Indian Ocean. I am currently a junior majoring in Microbiology at the University of Arizona. I have been working in Dr. Schomer’s lab since summer 2023. It is a plant sciences microbiology lab. This lab is observing the process of chemotaxis in different bacteria with plant chemicals. These chemicals are often seed or root exudates and are called QACs (quaternary ammonium salt compounds). Chemotaxis is the ability to sense a chemical gradient and move directionally along that gradient. MCPs (Methyl-accepting Chemotaxis Proteins) are receptors that drive chemotaxis by binding to the QAC molecule. My research
was focused on the model organism and plant commensal Pseudomonas putida and the chemicals betaine and trigonelline. Hopefully our research can help prevent serious crop diseases such as wilt disease or help to attract beneficial bacteria to the plant. For fun or as a hobby, I like to draw and listen to music. I am new in Tucson, so when I am free, I like to visit.
