Bio: I received a Ph.D in Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Burgundy (Dijon) in 2002. Under the supervision of Pr. Gilles Luquet, my research activities focused on the structure-function analysis of Orchestin, a protein involved in a biomineralization process in the crustacea Orchestia cavimana. Later, I was hired in 2003 as non-permanent lecturer at the University of Burgundy (Dijon). Under the supervision of Dr. Frédéric Marin, I was interested in the biochemical characterization of proteins involved in the shell formation of the mollusk Pina nobilis. Then, I moved in 2004 to the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology (University of Paris-Sud XI). In the team headed by Pr. Patrick Forterre, my research activities focused in Archaea on deciphering the role and functions of KEOPS complex, a highly conserved complex essential for the maturation of the universal t6A tRNA modification. Finally, I joined the Stress Response and Redox regulation team in September 2010 as assistant professor and became professor in September 2019.
Present research: My current work focuses on two main topics: the biochemical and structural analysis of glutathione transferases in plants and the study of some molecular actors involved in the host-pathogen interaction between the biotrophic rust fungus Melampsora larici and the tree Populus trichocarpa.
Publications (for an up-to-date list, you can refer to the following links: PubMed, ORCID, Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Loop)
2020
Sylvestre-Gonon, E., Schwartz, M., Girardet, J.M., Hecker, A. and Rouhier, N. (2020). Is there a role for tau glutathione transferases in tetrapyrrole metabolism and retrograde signaling in plants? Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, under press.
2019
de Guillen, K., Lorrain, C., Tsan, P., Barthe, P., Petre, B., Saveleva, N, Rouhier, N., Duplessis, S., Padilla, A. and Hecker A. (2019). Structural genomics applied to the rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina reveals two candidate effector proteins adopting cystine knot and NTF2-like protein folds. Sci. Rep. 9:18084.
Csiszár, J., Hecker, A., Labrou, N.E., Schröder, P. and Riechers D.E. (2019). Editorial: Plant Glutathione Transferases: Diverse, Multi-Tasking Enzymes With Yet-to-Be Discovered Functions. Front. Plant Sci. 10:1304.
Pellegrin, C., Daguerre, Y., Ruytinx, J., Guinet, F., Kemppainen, M., Frey, N.F.D., Puech-Pagès, V., Hecker, A., Pardo, A.G., Martin, F.M. and Veneault-Fourrey, C. (2019). Laccaria bicolor MiSSP8 is a small-secreted protein decisive for the establishment of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis. Environ. Microbiol. 21:3765-3779.
Sylvestre-Gonon, E., Law, S.R., Schwartz, M., Robe, K., Keech, O., Didierjean, C., Dubos, C., Rouhier, N. and Hecker, A. (2019). Functional, Structural and Biochemical Features of Plant Serinyl-Glutathione Transferases. Front. Plant. Sci. 10:608.
Lorrain, C., Gonçalves Dos Santos, K.C., Germain, H., Hecker, A. and Duplessis, S. (2019). Advances in understanding obligate biotrophy in rust fungi. New Phytol. 222:1190-1206.
2018
Lorrain, C., Marchal, C., Hacquard, S., Delaruelle, C., Pétrowski, J., Petre, B., Hecker, A., Frey, P. and Duplessis, S. (2018). The rust fungus Melampsora larici-populina expresses a conserved genetic program and distinct sets of secreted protein genes during infection of its two host plants, larch and poplar. Mol. Plant Microbe Interact. 31:695-706.
Plomion, C., Aury, J.M., Amselem, J., Leroy, T., Murat, F.5., Duplessis, S., …, Hecker, A., …, Salse J. (2018). Oak genome reveals facets of long lifespan. Nature Plants 4:440-452.
2017
Gütle, D.D., Roret, T., Hecker, A., Reski, R. and Jacquot, J.P. (2017). Dithiol disulphide exchange in redox regulation of chloroplast enzymes in response to evolutionary and structural constraints. Plant Sci. 255, 1-11.
Shaikhali, J., Rouhier, N., Hecker, A., Brännström, K. and Wingsle, G. (2017). Covalent and non-covalent associations mediate MED28 homo-oligomerization, J. Plant Biochem. Physiol. 5:189.
Pégeot, H., Mathiot, S., Perrot, T., Gense, F., Hecker, A., Didierjean, C. and Rouhier, N. (2017). Structural plasticity among glutathione transferase Phi members: natural combination of catalytic residues confers dual biochemical activities. FEBS J. 284:2442-2463.
2016
Schwartz, M., Didierjean, C., Hecker, A., Girardet, J.M., Morel-Rouhier, M., Gelhaye, E. and Favier, F. (2016). Crystal Structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ECM4, a Xi-class glutathione transferase that reacts with glutathionyl-(hydro)quinones. PLoS One 11, e0164678.
Gütle, D.D., Roret, T., Müller, S.J., Couturier, J., Lemaire, S.D., Hecker, A., Dhalleine, T., Buchanan, B.B., Reski, R., Einsle, O. and Jacquot J.P. (2016). Chloroplast FBPase and SBPase are thioredoxin-linked enzymes with similar architecture but different evolutionary histories. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 113, 6779-6784.
Petre, B., Hecker, A., Germain, H., Tsan, P., Sklenar, J., Pelletier, G., Séguin, A., Duplessis, S. and Rouhier, N. (2016). The Poplar Rust-Induced Secreted Protein (RISP) Inhibits the growth of the leaf rust pathogen Melampsora larici–populina and triggers cell culture alkalinisation. Front. Plant Sci. 7, 97.
Lallement, P.A., Roret, T., Tsan, P., Gualberto, J.M., Girardet, J.M., Didierjean, C., Rouhier, N. and Hecker, A. (2016). Insights into ascorbate regeneration in plants: investigating the redox and structural properties of dehydroascorbate reductases from Populus trichocarpa. Biochem J. 473, 717-731.
Jacquot, J.P., Couturier, J., Didierjean, C., Gelhaye, E., Morel-Rouhier, M., Hecker, A., Plomion, C., Gütle, D. and Rouhier, N. (2016). Structural and functional characterization of tree proteins involved in redox regulation: a new frontier in forest science. Ann. For. Sci. 73, 119–134.
2015
Lorrain, C., Hecker, A. and Duplessis, S. (2015). Effector-Mining in the Poplar Rust Fungus Melampsora larici–populina secretome. Front. Plant Sci. 6, 1051.
Deroy, A., Saiag, F., Kebbi-Benkeder, Z., Touahri, N., Hecker, A., Morel-Rouhier, M., Colin, F., Dumarcay, S., Gérardin, P. and Gelhaye, E. (2015). The GSTome reflects the chemical environment of white-rot fungi. PLoS One 10, e0137083.
Lallement, P.A., Meux, E., Gualberto, J.M., Dumarcay, S., Favier, F., Didierjean, C., Saul, F., Haouz, A., Morel-Rouhier, M., Gelhaye, E., Rouhier, N. and Hecker A. (2015). Glutathionyl-hydroquinone reductases from poplar are plastidial proteins that deglutathionylate both reduced and oxidized glutathionylated quinones. FEBS Lett. 589, 37-44.
2014
Pégeot, H., Koh, C.S., Petre, B., Mathiot, S., Duplessis, S., Hecker, A., Didierjean, C. and Rouhier, N. (2014). The poplar Phi class glutathione transferase: expression, activity and structure of GSTF1. Front. Plant Sci. 5:712.
Lallement, P.A., Brouwer, B., Keech, O., Hecker, A. and Rouhier, N. (2014). The still mysterious roles of cysteine-containing glutathione transferases in plants. Front. Pharmacol. 5, 192.
Thiaville, P.C., El Yacoubi, B., Perrochia, L., Hecker, A., Prigent, M., Thiaville, J.J., Forterre, P., Namy, O., Basta, T. and de Crécy-Lagard V. (2014). Cross kingdom functional conservation of the core universally conserved threonylcarbamoyladenosine tRNA synthesis enzymes. Eukaryot. Cell 13, 1222-1231.
Lallement, P.A., Meux, E., Gualberto, J.M., Prosper, P., Didierjean, C., Saul, F., Haouz, A., Rouhier, N. and Hecker, A. (2014). Structural and enzymatic insights into Lambda glutathione transferases from Populus trichocarpa, monomeric enzymes constituting an early divergent class specific to terrestrial plants. Biochem. J. 462, 39-52.
2013
Jacquot, J.P., Dietz, K.J., Rouhier, N., Meux, E., Lallement, P.A., Selles, B. and Hecker, A. (2013). Redox Regulation in Plants: Glutathione and “Redoxin” Related Families. In Oxidative Stress and Redox Regulation, Jakob U. (Ed.), Springer, 213-231 (book chapter).
Perrochia, L., Guetta, D., Hecker, A., Forterre, P. and Basta, T. (2013). Functional assignment of KEOPS/EKC complex subunits in the biosynthesis of the universal t6A tRNA modification. Nucleic Acids Res. 41, 9484-9499.
Perrochia, L., Crozat, E., Hecker, A., Zhang, W., Bareille, J., Collinet, B., van Tilbeurgh, H., Forterre, P. and Basta, T. (2013). In vitro biosynthesis of a universal t6A tRNA modification in Archaea and Eukarya. Nucleic Acids Res. 41, 1953-1964.
Couturier, J., Prosper, P., Winger, A.M., Hecker, A., Hirasawa, M., Knaff, D., Gans, P., Jacquot, J.P., Navaza, A., Haouz, A. and Rouhier, N. (2013). In the absence of thioredoxins, what are the reductants for peroxiredoxins in Thermotoga maritima? Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 1613-1622.
2011
Hacquard, S., Petre, B., Frey, P., Hecker, A., Rouhier, N. and Duplessis, S. (2011). The poplar-poplar rust interaction: insights from genomics and transcriptomics. J. Pathog. 2011, 2011-716041.
2009
Oberto, J., Breuil, N., Hecker, A., Farina, F., Brochier-Armanet, C., Culetto, E. and Forterre, P. (2009). Qri7/OSGEPL, the mitochondrial version of the universal Kae1/YgjD protein, is essential for mitochondrial genome maintenance. Nucleic Acids Res. 37, 5343-5352.
Muller, S., Urban, A., Hecker, A., Leclerc, F., Branlant, C. and Motorin, Y. (2009). Deficiency of the tRNATyr:Ψ35-synthase aPus7 in Archaea of the Sulfolobales order might be rescued by the H/ACA sRNA-guided Machinery. Nucleic Acids Res. 37, 1308-1322.
Hecker, A., Graille, M., Madec, E., Gadelle, D., Le Cam, E., van Tilbeurgh, H. and Forterre, P. (2009). The universal Kae1 protein and the associated Bud32 kinase (PRPK), a mysterious protein couple probably essential for genome maintenance in Archaea and Eukarya. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 37, 29-35.
2008
Hecker, A., Lopreiato, R., Graille, M., Collinet, B., Forterre, P., Libri, D. and van Tilbeurgh, H. (2008). Structure of the archaeal Kae1/Bud32 fusion protein MJ1130: a model for the eukaryotic EKC/KEOPS subcomplex. EMBO J. 27, 2340–2351.
2007
Hecker, A., Leulliot, N., Gadelle, D., Graille, M., Justome, A., Dorlet, P., Brochier, C., Quevillon-Cheruel, S., Le Cam, E., van Tilbeurgh, H. and Forterre, P. (2007). An archaeal orthologue of the universal protein Kae1 is an iron metalloprotein which exhibits atypical DNA-binding properties and apurinic-endonuclease activity in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res. 35, 6042-6051.
Gras, S., Chaumont, V., Fernandez, B., Carpentier, P., Charrier-Savournin, F., Schmitt, S., Pineau, C., Flament, D., Hecker, A., Forterre, P., Armengaud, J. and Housset, D. (2007). Structural insights into a new homodimeric self-activated GTPase family. EMBO Rep. 8, 569-575.
2005
Marin, F., Amons, R., Stigter, M., Hecker, A., Luquet, G., Layrolle, P., Vicente, N., de Groot, K. and Westbroek, P. (2005). Caspartin and calprismin, two new proteins of the shell calcitic prisms of the Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis. J. Biol. Chem. 280, 33895-33908.
2004
Luquet, G., Hecker, A. and Marin, F. (2004). Orchestin, a key calcium-binding phosphoprotein in the cyclic elaboration of two different ACC storage structures by the crustacean, Orchestia cavimana. Proceedings of the 8th ICCBMT, October 17-22, Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada, Landis W.L. & Sodek J. Eds., pp. 111-114 (book chapter).
Hecker, A., Quennedey, B., Testenière, O., Quennedey, A., Graf, F. and Luquet, G. (2004). Orchestin, a calcium-binding phosphoprotein is a matrix component of two successive transitory calcified biomineralizations elaborated cyclically by a terrestrial crustacean. J. Struct. Biol. 146, 310-324.
2003
Hecker, A., Testenière, O., Marin, F. and Luquet, G. (2003). Phosphorylation of serine residues is fundamental for the calcium-binding ability of Orchestin, a soluble matrix protein from crustacean calcium storage structures. FEBS Lett. 535, 49-54.
2002
Raz, S., Testenière, O., Hecker, A., Weiner, S. and Luquet, G. (2002). Stable amorphous calcium carbonate is the main component of the calcium storage structures of a terrestrial crustacean. Biol. Bull., 203, 269-274.
Testenière, O., Hecker, A., Le Gurun, S., Quennedey, B., Graf, F. and Luquet, G. (2002). Characterization and spatio-temporal expression of Orchestin, a gene encoding an ecdysone-inducible calcium binding protein from a crustacean organic matrix. Biochem. J. 361, 327-335.
