I am interested in diversity, biology and genetics of oomycete plant pathogens (Belbahri et al., 2006; 2007; 2008). My research also include development of genetic transfer methods in Phytophthora (Riedel et al. (2009) and involve the description of emerging diseases in different regions of the world (Daughtrey et al., 2006; Romero et al., 2007; Belbahri et al., 2008; Moralejo et al., 2009, Józsa et al., 2010). Present research activities also include biotechnological applications of fungal enzymes (Khlifi et al., 2009 and 2010, Maalej-Kamoun et al., 2009, Mlaik et al., 2009 and 2011) and the annotation of the genome of Heterobasidion annosum.

PUBLICATION RECORD

2016

Alenezi FN, Rekik I, Belka M, Ibrahim AF, Luptakova L, Woodward S, Belbahri L. (2016) Strain-level diversity of secondary metabolism in the biocontrol species Aneurinibacillus migulanus. Microbiological Research. 182:116-124.

Abdennabi, R, Bardaa, S, Mehdi, M, Rateb, ME, Raab, A, Alenezi, FN, Sahnoun, Z, Gharsallah, N, and Belbahri, L. (2016) Phoenix dactylifera L. date palm sap (Beser variety) enhances wound healing in Wistar rats: phytochemical and histological assessment. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.04.015.

Daâssi D., Zouari-Mechichi H.; Belbahri L.; Barriuso J.; Martínez M.J.; Mechichi, T. (2016) Phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of Tunisian forest wood-degrading fungi: a wealth of novelties and opportunities for biotechnology. 3 Biotech. 2016;6(1):46. doi:10.1007/s13205-015-0356-8.

2015

Belbahri L., Alenezi F.N., Luptakova L., Rateb M.E. and Woodward S. (2015) Complete genome sequence of Aneurinibacillus migulanus E1, a Gramicidin S (GS) and D-phenylalanyl-L-propyl diketopiperazine (DKP) deficient mutant. Genome Announcements. 2015;3(6):e01441-15. doi:10.1128/genomeA.01441-15..

Alenezi, F.N., Fraser, S., Bełka, M., Doğmuş, T.H., Hečkova, Z., Oskay, F., Belbahri, L. and Woodward, S. (2015) Biological control of Dothistroma needle blight on pine with Aneurinibacillus migulanus. Forest Pathology. doi: 10.1111/efp.12237.

Alenezi FN, Weitz HJ, Belbahri L. Ben Rebah H, Luptakova L, Jaspars M, Woodward S. (2015). Draft genome sequence of Aneurinibacillus migulanus strain Nagano. Genome Announcements 3(2):e00232-15. doi:10.1128/genomeA.00232-15.

Alenezi FN, Weitz HJ, Belbahri L. Nidhal J, Luptakova L, Jaspars M, Woodward S. (2015). Draft genome sequence of Aneurinibacillus migulanus NCTC 7096. Genome Announcements 3(2):e00234-15. doi:10.1128/genomeA.00234-15.

Mlaik N, Bouzid J, Ben Hassan I, Woodward S, Belbahri L.& Mechichi T (2015) Unhairing wastewater treatment by Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus cereus. Desalination and Water Treatment 54 (3): 683-689. DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2014.883330.

Mlaik, N., Bakonyi, J., Borsodi, A., Woodward, S., Belbahri, L. and Mechichi, T. (2015), Microbial diversity in tanning wastewaters treatment reactors. Environ. Prog. Sustainable Energy 34 (2): 401-410. doi: 10.1002/ep.12000. .

2014

Steciow, M.M., Lara, E., Paul, C., Pillonel, A. and Belbahri L. (2014) Multiple barcode assessment within the Saprolegnia-Achlya clade (Saprolegniales, Oomycota, Straminipila) brings order in a neglected group of pathogens. IMA Fungus volume 5 no 2: 439–448.

Abad Z.G., Abad J.A., Cunnington J.H., Smith I.W., Blomquist C., Balci Y., Moralejo E., Pérez-Sierra A., Abad-Campos P., Alvarez-Bernaola L.A., Henricot B., Denton J., Herrero M.L., Spies C., Mcleod A., Cacciola S.O., Pane A., Bakonyi J., Józsa A., Belbahri L., Cooke D., Kageyama K., Uematsu S., Kurbetli I. and Değirmenci K. (2014) Phytophthora niederhauserii sp. nov., a new polyphagous species mostly isolated from ornamentals potted plants in twelve countries of five continents. Mycologia 106(3):431-47. doi: 10.3852/12-119.

Daâssi D, Belbahri L, Vallat A, Woodward S, Nasri M, Mechichi T. (2014) Enhanced reduction of phenol content and toxicity in olive mill wastewaters by a newly isolated strain of Coriolopsis gallica. Environ Science and Pollution Research International. 21(3):1746-58. doi: 10.1007/s11356-013-2019-9.

Daâssi D., Lozano-Sánchez J., Borrás-Linares I., Belbahri L., Woodward S., Zouari-Mechichi H., Mechichi, T., Nasri M., Segura-Carretero A. (2014) Olive oil mill wastewaters: Phenolic content characterization during degradation by Coriolopsis gallica. Chemosphere 113: 62-70 Oct.

Mlaik N, Bouzid J, Ben Hassan I, Woodward S, Belbahri L and Mechichi T (2014) Unhairing wastewater treatment by Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus cereus. Desalination and Water Treatment DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2014.883330.

Mlaik, N., Bakonyi, J., Borsodi, A., Woodward, S., Belbahri, L. and Mechichi, T. (2014), Microbial diversity in tanning wastewaters treatment reactors. Environ. Prog. Sustainable Energy. doi: 10.1002/ep.12000.

2013

Benzina O, Daâssi D, Zouari-Mechichi H, Frikha F, Woodward S, Belbahri L, Rodriguez-Couto S, Mechichi T. (2013) Decolorization and detoxification of two textile industry effluents by the laccase/1-hydroxybenzotriazole system. Environ Science and Pollution Research International 20(8):5177-87. doi: 10.1007/s11356-013-1491-6.

De Vita P., Serrano M.S., Ramo C., Aponte C., García L.V., Belbahri L., Sánchez M.E. (2013) First Report of Root Rot Caused by Pythium spiculum Affecting Cork Oaks at Doñana Biological Reserve (Spain). Plant disease 97(7): 991-991

Luchi N, Ghelardini L, Belbahri L, Quartier M, Santini A. (2013) Rapid Detection of Ceratocystis platani Inoculum by Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79(17):5394-404. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01484-13.

Pawlowski J, Audic S, Adl S, Bass D, Belbahri L, Berney C, Bowser SS, Cepicka I, Decelle J, Dunthorn M, Fiore-Donno AM, Gile GH, Holzmann M, Jahn R, Jirků M, Keeling PJ, Kostka M, Kudryavtsev A, Lara E, Lukeš J, Mann DG, Mitchell EA, Nitsche F, Romeralo M, Saunders GW, Simpson AG, Smirnov AV, Spouge JL, Stern RF, Stoeck T, Zimmermann J, Schindel D, de Vargas C. (2012) 2. CBOL protist working group: barcoding eukaryotic richness beyond the animal, plant, and fungal kingdoms. PLOS Biology, 10(11):e1001419. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001419.

Prospero, S., Vercauteren, A., Heungens, K., Belbahri, L. and Rigling, D. (2013), Phytophthora diversity and the population structure of Phytophthora ramorum in Swiss ornamental nurseries. Plant Pathology, 62: 1063–1071. doi: 10.1111/ppa.12027.

Steciow MM, Lara E, Pillonel A, Pelizza SA, Lestani EA, Rossi GC, Belbahri L. (2013) Incipient loss of flagella in the genus Geolegnia: the emergence of a new clade within Leptolegnia? IMA Fungus. 4(2):169-75. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2013.04.02.02.

2012

Benzina O., Frikha F., Zouari-Mechichi H., Woodward S., Belbahri L., Mnif E. and Mechichi T. (2012) Enhanced decolourization of the azo dye Sirius rose BB by laccase–HBT system. 3 Biotech (DOI 10.1007/s13205-011-0041-5)

Lara E. and  Belbahri L. (2011). SSU rRNA reveals major trends in oomycete evolution. Fungal Diversity. DOI 10.1007/s13225-011-0098-9.

Olson Å., Aerts A., Asiegbu F., Belbahri L., Bouzid O., Broberg A., Canbäck B., Coutinho P. M., Cullen D., Dalman K., Deflorio G., van Diepen L. T.A., Dunand C., Duplessis S., Durling M., Gonthier P., Grimwood J., Fossdal C. G., Hansson D., Henrissat B., Hietala A., Himmelstrand K., Hoffmeister D., Högberg N., James T. Y., Karlsson M., Kohler A., Kües U., Lee Y.-H., Lin Y.-C., Lind M., Lindquist E., Lombard V., Lucas S., Lundén K., Morin E., Murat C., Park J., Raffaello T., Rouzé P., Salamov A., Schmutz J., Solheim H., Ståhlberg J., Vélëz H., de Vries R. P., Wiebenga A., Woodward S., Yakovlev I., Garbelotto M., Martin F., Grigoriev I. V. and Stenlid J. (2012), Insight into trade-off between wood decay and parasitism from the genome of a fungal forest pathogen. New Phytologist, 194: 1001–1013. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04128.x

2011

Mlaik N., Bouzid J, Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2011) Combined biological processing and microfiltration in the treatment of unhairing wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res, in press. DOI 10.1007/s11356-011-0543-z

Mlaik N., Mbarka G., Bouzid J., Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2011) Treatment of Unhairing Effluents from Tanneries and Fellmongeries using an Activated Sludge System. Environmental progress & sustainable energy. ( DOI: 10.1002/ep.10484)

2010

Józsa A., Bakonyi J., Belbahri L., Nagy Z.A., Szigethy A., Bohár G. and Woodward S. (2010) A new species of Phytophthora reported to cause root and collar rot of common boxwood, Nordmann fir and Port Orford cedar in Hungary. Plant Pathology 22 (7): 1166-1167.

Khlifi R., Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2010) Decolourization and detoxification of textile industry Wastewater by the laccase-mediator system. Journal of Hazardous material, 175 (1-3): 802-808.

2009

Khlifi R., Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2009) Assessment of laccase stability during treatment of textile industries effluents. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 84(12):1828-1833.

Maalej M., Zouari-Mechichi H., Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2009) Malachite green decolourization and detoxification by the laccase from a newly isolated strain of Trametes sp. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, (63): 600-606.

Mlaik N., Bouzid J., Gharsallah N., Belbahri L., Woodward S. and Mechichi T. (2009) Investigation of endogenous biomass efficiency in the treatment of unhairing effluents from the tanning industry. Environmental technology, 30(9): 911-919

Moralejo E., Perez-Sierra A., Alvarez L., Belbahri L., Lefort F. And Descals E. (2009) Multiple alien Phytophthoras discovered on diseased ornamental plants in Spain. Plant Pathology, 58 (1), 100 -110.

Riedel M., Calmin G., Belbahri L., Lefort F., Götz M., Wagner S. and Werres S. (2009) Green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter gene for the plant pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora ramorum. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 56(2): 130-135.

2008

Belbahri L., McLeod A., Paul B., Calmin G., Moralejo E., Spies C.F.J., Botha, W.J. Clemente A., Descals E., Sánchez-Hernández E. and Lefort F. (2008) Intraspecific and within-isolate sequence variation in the ITS rDNA region of Pythium mercuriale sp. nov., FEMS Microbiology Letters, 284 (1): 17-27.

Moralejo E., Belbahri L., Calmin G., Garcia-Munoz J., Lefort F. and Descals E. (2008) Strawberry tree blight in spain, a new disease caused by Phytophthora species. Journal of Phytopathology, 156 (10):577-587.

2007

Belbahri L., Calmin G., Wagner S., Moralejo E., Woodward S. and Lefort F. (2007) Specific hybridization real time PCR probes for Phytophthora ramorum detection and diagnosis. Forest Pathology, Vol. 37 (6): 403-408.

Romero, M. A., Sánchez, J. E., Jiménez, J. J, Belbahri L., Trapero A., Lefort F., Sánchez M. E. (2007). New Pythium taxa causing root rot on Mediterranean Quercus species in SW Spain and Portugal. Journal of Phytopathology, 155 (5): 289-295.

2006

Belbahri L., Moralejo E., Calmin G., Oszako T., Garcia J.A., Descals E. and Lefort F. (2006) Phytophthora polonica, a new species isolated from declining alder stands in Poland. FEMS Microbiology Letters 261 (2): 165-174.

Daughtrey M., Holcomb G., Eshenaur B., Palm M. Belbahri L. and Lefort F. (2006). First Report of Downy Mildew on Greenhouse and Landscape Coleus Caused by Peronospora sp. in Louisiana and New York. Plant Disease 90 (8):1111.