Prof. Segula Masaphy

Prof. Segula Masaphy
Principal Investigator
Segula Masaphy
Associate Professor
Research Group Leader
Faculty of Agriculture, PhD
Phone
972-50-2358570
Research Interests:

Ecology and Biotechnology of Mushroom

Bio-active compounds from mushrooms

Environmental Mycology

Fungal-bacterial interactions

Forest mycology

Human and Plant  heath promoting activities of fungi

Water Microbiology

The aim of my research is to increase the applied knowledge on microbial interactions with their environment, mainly filamentous fungi (including edible mushrooms), either improving their valuable functions or reducing their undesired ones. This includes studies on ecology and biotechnology of Morel mushroom, bacteria/fungi interaction, fungal biodegradation of organic and inorganic matter, interaction of fungi with minerals and search for new biological sources of antifungal compounds. The laboratory also works on other applied research topics in food, soil and water microbiology.

CV

Education
Ph.D. 1996, Microbiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, and MIGAL Research Institute
M.Sc. 1986, Microbiology and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, and MIGAL Research Institute

Academic and research experience

2015 -  Associate Professor, Head of Department Food Sciences Studies, Tel-Hai Academic college
2013-  Head of Food Studies, Tel-Hai Academic college
2002-2011 Head of the Food and Water Microbiology Service Lab, MIGAL
2000– 2015 Senior Lecturer, Tel Hai Academic college
2000– Researcher, MIGAL Research Institute
1999-2000 Post Doctoral fellow at Aberystwyth University, UK
1997-1999 Post Doctoral fellow in Soil and Water Dep., Volcani Center, Israel
1986-1992 Teacher, Tel Hai Technology College

Scientific Publications

New long season ecotype of Morchella rufobrunnea from Northren Israel.

Masaphy, S., Zabari, L. and Goldberg, D
Mycologia Aplicada 2009 Volume 21 Pages 45-55
2009

Role of fungal mycelium in the formation of carbonate concretions in growing media-an investigation by SEM and synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy

S. Masaphy; L. Zabari; J. Pastrana; S. Dultz
Geomicrobiology Journal 2009 Volume 26 Issue 7 Pages 442-450
2009

Introduction of new exotic mushroom species into cultivation in Israel

O. Danai; N. Ezov; D. Levanon; S. Masaphy
Israel Journal of Plant Sciences 2008 Volume 56 Issue 4 Pages 295-301
2008

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences: Foreword by the Guest Editors

S. Masaphy; D. Lewinsohn
Israel Journal of Plant Sciences 2008 Volume 56 Issue 4 Pages i-iv
2008

Morchella conica Pers. proliferation in post-fire forests in northern Israel

S. Masaphy; L. Zabari; G. Gander-Shagug
Israel Journal of Plant Sciences 2008 Volume 56 Issue 4 Pages 315-319
2008

External ultrastructure of fruit body initiation in Morchella

S. Masaphy
Mycological Research 2005 Volume 109 Issue 4 Pages 508-512
2005

Effect of CaCO3 on Morchella growth and sclerotia formation.

Masaphy, S.
Mushroom Science 2004 Volume 16 Pages 111-115A
2004

Engineering of heterologous cytochrome P450 in Acinetobacter sp.: Application for pollutant degradation

D. C. Lamb; D. E. Kelly; S. Masaphy; G. L. Jones; S. L. Kelly
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2000 Volume 276 Issue 2 Pages 797-802
2000

Purification and characterization of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase from Pleurotus pulmonarius.

Masaphy, S., Lamb, D.C. and Kelly, S.L.
Biochemistry Biophysics Research Communications 1999 Volume 266 Pages 326-9
1999

Purification, reconstitution and inhibition of sterol (22 desaturase (P45061); CYP61) from the pathogenic fungus Candida glabrata.

Lamb, D.C., Masaphy, S., Kelly, D.E., Geber, A., Bennett, J.E. and Kelly, S.L.
Antimicrobial Agents Chemotherapy 1999 Volume 43 Pages 1725-1728
1999

Induction of linoleic acid-supported benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity by manganese in the white rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius

S. Masaphy; B. Krinfeld; D. Levanon
Chemosphere 1998 Volume 36 Issue 14 Pages 2933-2940
1998

Atrazine mineralization in slurries from soils irrigated with treated waste water

S. Masaphy; R. T. Mandelbaum
Applied Soil Ecology 1997 Volume 6 Issue 3 Pages 283-291
1997

Biodegradation pathway of atrazine in soils of northern Israel

Levanon, D. and Masaphy, S.
In Global Environmental Biotechnology ,1997, D.L. Wise Ed. ,Springer, Dordrecht he Netherlands, Pages 505-512
1997

In-vitro N-de-ethylation of atrazine by cell-free extract of Pleurotus pulmonarius is induced by Mn 2+

S. Masaphy; Y. Henis; B. Krinfeld; D. Levanon
Biotechnology Letters 1997 Volume 19 Issue 9 Pages 861-864
1997

Degradation of atrazine by the lignocellulolytic fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius during solid-state fermentation

S. Masaphy; D. Levanon; Y. Henis
Bioresource Technology 1996 Volume 56 Pages 207-214
1996

Evidence for cytochrome P450 and P450 mediated benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation in the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Masaphy, S., Levanon, D., Henis, Y., Venkateswarlu, K. and Kelly, S.L.
FEMS Letter 1996 Volume 135 Pages 51-55
1996

Manganese-enhanced biotransformation of atrazine by the white rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius and its correlation with oxidation activity

S. Masaphy; Y. Henis; D. Levanon
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 1996 Volume 62 Issue 10 Pages 3587-3593
1996

Parathion degradation by Xanthomonas sp. and its crude enzyme extract in clay suspensions

S. Masaphy; T. Fahima; D. Levanon; Y. Henis; U. Mingelgrin
Journal of Environmental Quality 1996 Volume 25 Issue 6 Pages 1248-1255
1996

Biodegradation pathways of atrazine in soils of northern Israel

Levanon, D. and Masaphy, S.
Environ. Biotech. Symp., Boston, USA. 1996
1996

Microsomal and cytosolic cytochrome P450 mediated benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylation activity in Pleurotus pulmonarius.

Masaphy, S., Levanon, D., Henis, Y., Venkateswarlu, K. and Kelly, S.L.
Biotechnology Letter 1995 Volume 17 Pages 969-974
1995

Effect of medium composition on 1-octen-3-ol formation in submerged culture of Pleurotus pulmonarius.

Belinki, P., Masaphy, S., Levanon, D., Hadar, Y. and Dosoretz, C.
Applied Microbiology Biotechnology 1994 Volume 40 Pages 629-633
1994

Bulk treatment of substrate for the cultivation of Shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) on straw.

Levanon, D., Rothschild, N., Danai, O. and Masaphy, S.
Bioresource Technology 1993 Volume 45 Pages 63-64
1993

Isolation and characterisation of a novel atrazine metabolite produced by the fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius, 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-(1-hydroxyisopropyl)-amino-1,3,5 triazine.

Masaphy, S., Levanon, D., Vaya, J. and Henis, Y.
Applied Environmental Microbiology 1993 Volume 59 Pages 4342-4346
1993

Strain selection for cultivation of shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) on straw.

Levanon, D., Rothschild, N., Danai, O. and Masaphy, S.
Bioresource Technology 1993 Volume 45 Pages 9-12
1993

The effect of lignocellulose on lignocellulolytic activity of Pleurotus pulmonarius in submerged culture.

Masaphy, S. and Levanon, D.
Applied Microbiology Biotechnology 1992 Volume 36 Pages 828-832
1992