Staff Profile

Qualifications

2009 HEPCAP, Newcastle University

1995 Ph.D. Molecular Plant Physiology, Pierre & Marie Curie

University, Paris France. With European Doctor Label, Honours

1990 MSc. Plant Biochemistry and Physiology, Pierre & Marie Curie

University, Paris France. Honours

1988 BSc. Plant Biology, Med 1st University, Oujda Morocco, Honours

Previous Positions

• 2007-2018: Teaching and Research Fellow, School of Biology, Newcastle University

• 2000-2006: Senior PDRAS at the School of Biology, University of Newcastle UK

• 1996-1999: PDRAS at the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA

• 1993-1994: RA, Phytopharmacy Laboratory, INRA (National Institute of Agronomic Research) Verssailles France

• 1994: Visiting Scientist to the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany

Languages

English

French

Arabic

Research Interests

Summary

Metabolic plasticity is the key to plant success in stressful and changing environments. To understand the mechanisms underpinning this plasticity, I am studying the modulation of the transcriptome and the proteome under salt-stress, water-stress in species adapted to salinity and drought like Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and Wheat. My objective is to contribute to the elucidation of the key regulations and the mechanisms involved in the production of adequate physiological responses to these environmental stressors and their evolution in different plant systems. The regulation of the mechanisms involved in stress-resistance is based on the integration of different inputs including the stress-signals per se, the metabolic inputs and the control by the circadian clock. My research involves three complementary areas:

(1) The regulation of the expression of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)

(2) The regulation of starch metabolism

(3) The regulation of stress responses in wheat

The ultimate goal is to provide tools and build a core of knowledge about the regulation of stress responses for use in Biotechnology and Agriculture.

Expertise

My main expertise is in gene technology applied in plant Biotechnology and beyond

Future Research

Engineering controlled drought and salt-resistance in plants using signalling genes

Postgraduate Supervision

MSc. and Ph.D

Esteem Indicators

Active reviewer for different journals including (last 2 years) Annals of Applied Biology, Functional Plant Biology, Plant Physiol. Biochem, TREES-Structure and Function

Evaluating expert for BBSRC, NERC and USDA

Invited speaker to several international conferences

Invited journal editor

Funding

NERC- Ecological significance of the circadian controls in plants

Royal Society- Regulation of starch degradation in plants with crassulacean acid metabolism. Self raised more than £25k of funding

Industrial Relevance

Preservation and extension of shelf-life of fresh produce

Product authentification and traceability using DNA methods

Patents

Apparatus and method for ozone preservation of crops. WO2005/013729

Undergraduate Teaching

Stage 1: Cell & Biomolecules (NES1303), Skills for the Biosciences (NES1504)

Stage 2: Plant Biology (NES2308), Project preparation (NES2399)

Stage 3: Current Research In Molecular Life Sciences (NES3309), Dissertation (NES3505)

Stage 4: Dissertation (NES8300, NES8301)

Postgraduate Teaching

MSc: Research projects

Polymerase Chain Reaction and Cloning Methotodologies: a 4-day theory and practice course for postgrads and research and Technical personnel from academia, hospitals and the private sector

Introduction to Quantitative PCR: a 2-day workshop for postgrads and research and Technical staff from academia and the private sector

• Articles

  • Sharma A, Taybi T. Differences in the Temporal Kinetics of the Metabolic Responses to Salinity Between the Salt-Tolerant Thellungiella salsuginea and the Salt-Sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana Reveal New Insights in Salt Tolerance Mechanisms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2025, 26(11), 5141.
  • Taybi T, Alyahya N. Comparative Analysis of Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Salt Stress Reveals Important Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance in Wheat. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2025, 26(8), 3742.
  • Alyahya N, Taybi T. Transcriptome-wide characterization of alternative splicing regulation in Najran wheat (Triticum aestivum) under salt stress. Current Plant Biology 2024, 38, 100334.
  • Alyahya N, Taybi T. Comparative transcriptomic profiling reveals differentially expressed genes and important related metabolic pathways in shoots and roots of a Saudi wheat cultivar (Najran) under salinity stress. Frontiers in Plant Science 2023, 14, 1225541.
  • Taybi T, Cushman JC, Borland AM. Leaf carbohydrates influence transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of nocturnal carboxylation and starch degradation in the facultative CAM plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Journal of Plant Physiology 2017, 218, 144-154.
  • Ceusters J, Borland AM, Taybi T, Frans M, Godts C, De Proft MP. Light quality modulates metabolic synchronization over the diel phases of crassulacean acid metabolism. Journal of Experimental Botany 2014, 65(13), 3705-3714.
  • Tzortzakis N, Taybi T, Antony E, Singleton I, Borland A, Barnes J. Profiling shifts in protein complement in tomato fruit induced by atmospheric ozone-enrichment and/or wound-inoculation with Botrytis cinerea. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2013, 78, 67-75.
  • Tzortzakis N, Taybi T, Roberts R, Singleton I, Borland A, Barnes J. Low-level atmospheric ozone exposure induces protection against Botrytis cinerea with down-regulation of ethylene-, jasmonate- and pathogenesis-related genes in tomato fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2011, 61(2-3), 152-159.
  • Tzortzakis N, Taybi T, Roberts R, Singleton I, Borland A, Barnes J. Low-level atmospheric ozone exposure induces protection against Botrytis cinerea with down-regulation of ethylene-, jasmonate- and pathogenesis-related genes in tomato fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2011, 61(2-3), 152-159.
  • Cushman JC, Agarie S, Albion RL, Elliot SM, Taybi T, Borland AM. Isolation and characterization of mutants of common ice plant deficient in Crassulacean acid metabolism. Plant Physiology 2008, 147(1), 228-238.
  • Pignocchi C, Kiddle G, Hernandez I, Foster SJ, Asensi A, Taybi T, Barnes J, Foyer CH. Ascorbate oxidase-dependent changes in the redox state of the apoplast modulate gene transcript accumulation leading to modified hormone signaling and orchestration of defense processes in tobacco. Plant Physiology 2006, 141(2), 423-435.
  • Borland AM, Taybi T. Synchronization of metabolic processes in plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism. Journal of Experimental Botany 2004, 55(400), 1255-1265.
  • Taybi T, Nimmo HG, Borland AM. Expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase genes. Implications for genotypic capacity and phenotypic plasticity in the expression of crassulacean acid metabolism. Plant Physiology 2004, 135(1), 587-598.
  • Chehab EW, Patharkar OR, Hegeman AD, Taybi T, Cushman JC. Autophosphorylation and subcellular localization dynamics of a salt- and water deficit-induced calcium-dependent protein kinase from ice plant. Plant Physiology 2004, 135(3), 1430-1446.
  • Dodd AN, Griffiths H, Taybi T, Cushman JC, Borland AM. Integrating diel starch metabolism with the circadian and environmental regulation of Crassulacean acid metabolism in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Planta 2003, 216(5), 789-797.
  • Ermolova NV, Cushman MA, Taybi T, Condon SA, Cushman JC, Chollet R. Expression, purification, and initial characterization of a recombinant form of plant PEP-carboxylase kinase from CAM-induced Mesembryanthemum crystallinum with enhanced solubility in Escherichia coli. Protein Expression and Purification 2003, 29(1), 123-131.
  • Cushman JC, Taybi T, Bohnert HJ. Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, Molecular Aspects, Advances In Photosynthesis, Physiology and Metabolism. Kluwer Academic publishers 2000, 9(-), 551-582.
  • Taybi T, Patil S, Chollet R, Cushman JC. A Minimal Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase Circadianly Regulates Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase Activity in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism-Induced Leaves of the Common Ice Plant. Plant Physiology 2000, 123(4), 1471-1482.
  • Taybi T, Cushman JC. Signaling events leading to crassulacean acid metabolism induction in the common ice plant. Plant Physiology 1999, 121(2), 545-556.
  • Gehrig H, Taybi T, Kluge M, Brulfert J. Identification of multiple PEPC isogenes in leaves of the facultative Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Poelln. cv. Tom Thumb. FEBS LETT 1995, 377(3), 399-402.
  • Taybi T, Sotta B, Gehrig HH, Kluge M, Brulfert J. Differential Effects of Abscisic Acid on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and CAM operation in Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. Botanica Acta 1995, 108, 240-246.
  • Brulfert J, Güclü S, Taybi T, Pierre JN. Enzymatic Responses to Water-Stress in Isolated Leaves of the CAM plant: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana poelln. Plant physiol. Biochem 1993, 31, 491-497.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Antony E, Taybi T, Courbot M, Mugford ST, Smith JAC, Borland AM. Cloning, localization and expression analysis of vacuolar sugar transporters in the CAM plant Ananas comosus (pineapple). In: 14th International Congress of Photosynthesis. 2008, Glasgow, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Borland A, Elliott S, Patterson S, Taybi T, Cushman J, Pater B, Barnes J. Are the metabolic components of crassulacean acid metabolism up-regulated in response to an increase in oxidative burden?. In: Meeting on Phenotypic Plasticity and the Changing Environment held at the Society for Experimental Biology Plant Frontiers Meeting. 2006, Sheffield: Journal of Experimental Botany, Oxford University Press.
  • Taybi T, Cushman JC, Borland AM. Environmental, hormonal and circadian regulation of crassulacean acid metabolism expression. In: 3rd International Congress on Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. 2002, Coconut Beach, Australia: Functional Plant Biology, CSIRO Publishing.