Dr. Nikola Staykov

 

 

 

 

 

Position: Postdoctoral researcher

Department: Molecular Stress Physiology, CPSBB

His early work focused on: Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxins and their application as a plant defense mechanism against specific insect pests.

The main area of recent Nikola Staykov’s research interests is identifying the mode of action of a biostimulant, isolated from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum.

 

Nikola Staykov is also interested in studying the following topics:

• The atr mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, resistant to oxidative stress, their corresponding genes and mechanisms, as well as possibilities for practical application.
• Deciphering the underlying model(s) of tolerance to multiple stressors of the Balkan “resurrection” endemite Haberlea rhodopensis.

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Staykov N.S., Angelov M., Petrov V., Minkov P., Kanojia A., Guinan K.J., Alseekh S., Fernie A.R., Neerakkal S., Gechev T.S. (2021) An Ascophyllum nodosum-derived biostimulant protects model and crop plants from oxidative stress. Metabolites. 11(1): 24. (4.097)

Neerakkal S., Mehterov N., Gupta S., Qureshi M.K., Fischer A., Proost S., Omidbakhshfard M.A., Obata T., Benina M., Staykov N., Balazadeh S., Walther D., Fernie A.R., Mueller-Roeber B., Hille J., Gechev T.S. (2019). A novel seed plants gene regulates oxidative stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. pp 1–14. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-019-03202-5. (IF 6.496)

Durgud M., Gupta S., Ivanov I., Omidbakhshfard A., Benina M., Alseekh A., Staykov N., Hauen-stein M., Dijkwel P.P., Hortensteiner S., Toneva V., Brotman Y., Fernie A.R., Mueller-Roeber B., Gechev T. (2018). Molecular mechanisms preventing senescence in response to prolonged darkness in a desiccation–tolerant plant. Plant Physiology. 177(3):1319–1338. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.18.00055. (IF 6.305)

de Maagd R.A., Bakker P., Staykov N., Dukiandjiev S., Stiekema W., Bosch D. (1999) Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin Cry1C domain III amino acid residues involved in insect specificity. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Vol. 65 p 4369-4374. http://www.ask-force.org/web/Bt/de-Maagd-Identification-Bt-1999.pdf