Laboratory of Research in Plant Sciences (LRSV), University of Toulouse III/CNRS

24, chemin de Borde-Rouge, 31326 Castanet Tolosan

Tel: (33) 534323820; (33) 680540106; becard@lrsv.ups-tlse.fr

http://www.lrsv.ups-tlse.fr/; https://www.fraib.fr/

Personal

French citizenship.

Born July 1958, Tours, France.

Married, four children.

Present status

-Professor of Plant Physiology at the University of Toulouse III

-Lead Scientist of the Endomycorrhizal Symbiosis and Cell Signaling group (LRSV)

Education

-Ph.D. Plant Microbiology, Laval University, Quebec, Canada, 1985-1989.

-Undergraduate studies in Chemistry-Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Paris VI, France, 1977-1982.

I am interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: from spore germination to the formation of arbuscules. I study both the fungal partner and the plant partner for an integrated view of these mechanisms. I believe that the study of this ancient symbiosis can lead to the discovery of ancestral mechanisms governing the development of plants and their interactions with microorganisms. My research also aims to promote the use of AM fungi in sustainable agriculture and thus reduce the need for irrigation and chemical inputs.

List of publications (last 6 years)

Bécard G (Ed.) (2017) How Plants Communicate with their Biotic Environment, Advances in Botanical Research, Vol 82, 1st Edition, Academic Press, 404 pages

Bécard G & Puech-Pagès V (2017) Communication entre les partenaires dans la symbiose mycorhizienne à arbuscules, in “Les sols et la vie souterraine” – Des enjeux majeurs en agroécologie. J.-F. Briat & D. Job (Coord.), Quae, 328 pages

Bécard G, Guidi L, Alizon S, Angelier F, Bezin L, Bowler C, Courchamp F, Dutreuil S, Faure M, Hibner U, Jebbar M, Kaltz O, Leulier F, Loudet O, Simonet P, Tost J, Vergnolle N (2017) L’être vivant dans son environnement, in “Étonnant vivant – Découvertes et promesses du XXIe siècle”, C. Jessus & T. Gaude (Eds.), CNRS Edition, 328 pages

Gough C & Bécard G (2016) Strigolactones and lipochitooligosaccharides as molecular communication signals in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, in “Molecular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis”, F. Martin (Ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, 576 pages

Couzigou JM, Lauressergues D, André O, Gutjahr C, Guillotin B, Bécard G, Combier JP (2017) Positive Gene Regulation by a Natural Protective miRNA Enables Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis. Cell Host Microbe. 21: 106-112

Tang N, San Clemente H, Roy S, Bécard G, Zhao B, Roux C (2017) A Survey of the Gene Repertoire of Gigaspora rosea Unravels Conserved Features among Glomeromycota for Obligate Biotrophy. Front Microbiol. 2016 Mar 1 ;7:233.

Guillotin B, Etemadi M, Audran C, Bouzayen M, Bécard G, Combier J-P (2016). Sl-IAA27 regulates strigolactone biosynthesis and mycorrhization in Tomato (var. MicroTom). New Phytol. 213: 1124-1132

Couzigou JM, Lauressergues D, Bécard G, Combier JP. (2015). miRNA-encoded peptides (miPEPs): A new tool to analyze the roles of miRNAs in plant biology. RNA Biol., 12(11): 1178-80

Lauressergues D, Couzigou J-M, San Clemente H, Martinez Y, Dunand C, Bécard G, Combier J-P (2015). Primary transcripts of microRNAs encode regulatory peptides. Nature, 520 :90-3

Etemadi M*, Gutjahr C*, Couzigou JM, Zouine M, Lauressergues D, Timmers A, Audran C, Bouzayen M, Bécard G, Combier JP (2014). Auxin perception is required for arbuscule development in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Plant Physiol., 114.246595

Laparre J*, Malbreil M*, Letisse F, Portais JC, Roux C, Bécard G, Puech-Pagès V. (2014). Combining metabolomics and gene expression analysis reveals that propionyl- and butyryl-carnitines are involved in late stages of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Mol. Plant, 7: 554-566

Tisserant E*, Malbreil M*, Kuo A, Kohler A, Symeonidi A, Balestrini R, Charron P, Duensing N, Frei Dit Frey N, Gianinazzi-Pearson V, Gilbert LB, Handa Y, Herr JR, Hijri M, Koul R, Kawaguchi M, Krajinski F, Lammers PJ, Masclaux FG, Murat C, Morin E, Ndikumana S, Pagni M, Petitpierre D, Requena N, Rosikiewicz P, Riley R, Saito K, San Clemente H, Shapiro H, van Tuinen D, Bécard G, Bonfante P, Paszkowski U, Shachar-Hill YY, Tuskan GA, Young PW, Sanders IR, Henrissat B, Rensing SA, Grigoriev IV, Corradi N, Roux C, Martin F. (2013). Genome of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus provides insight into the oldest plant symbiosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., 110(50): 20117-22

Balzergue C, Chabaud M, Barker DG, Bécard G, Rochange SF. (2013). High phosphate reduces host ability to develop arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis without affecting root calcium spiking responses to the fungus. Front. Plant Sci., 4:426

Delaux PM, Bécard G, Combier JP. (2013). NSP1 is a component of the Myc signaling pathway. New Phytol., 199(1): 59-65

Delaux PM, Séjalon-Delmas N, Bécard G, Ané JM. (2013). Evolution of the plant – microbe symbiotic “toolkit”. Trends Plant Sci., 18: 298-204

Genre A, Chabaud M, Balzergue B, Puech-Pages V, Novero M, Rey T, Fournier J, Rochange S, Bécard G, Bonfante P, Barker DG. (2012). Short-chain chitin oligomers from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi trigger nuclear Ca²⁺ spiking in Medicago truncatula roots and their production is enhanced by strigolactone. New Phytol., 198(1):190-202

Louarn J, Carbonne F, Delavault P, Bécard G, Rochange S. (2012) Reduced germination of Orobanche cumana seeds in the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or their exudates. PLoS ONE, 7(11): e49273.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049273

Formey D*, Molès M*, Haouy A, Savelli B, Bouchez O, Bécard G and Roux C (2012) Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of Rhizophagus irregularis – syn. Glomus irregulare – reveals a polymorphism induced by variability generating elements. New Phytol., 196(4):1217-27

Lauressergues* D, Delaux* P-M, Formey D, Lelandais-Brière C, Fort S, Cottaz S, Bécard G, Niebel A, Roux C and Combier J-P. (2012). The microRNA miR171h modulates arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Medicago truncatula by targeting NSP2. Plant J., 72(3):512-522

Delaux PM, Xi X, Timme RE, Puech-Pages V, Dunand D, Lecompte E, Delwiche CF, Yoneyama K, Bécard G and Séjalon-Delmas N. (2012). Origin of strigolactones in the green lineage. New Phytol., 195(4):857-71

Tisserant E, Kohler A, Dozolme-Seddas P, Balestrini R, Benabdellah K, Colard A, Croll D, Da Silva C, Gomez SK, Koul R, Ferrol N, Fiorilli V, Formey D, Franken P, Helber N, Hijri M, Lanfranco L, Lindquist E, Liu Y, Malbreil M, Morin E, Poulain J, Shapiro H, van Tuinen D, Waschke A, Azcón-Aguilar C, Bécard G, Bonfante P, Harrison MJ, Küster H, Lammers P, Paszkowski U, Requena N, Rensing SA, Roux C, Sanders IR, Shachar-Hill Y, Tuskan G, Young JPW, Gianinazzi-Pearson V and Martin F. (2011). The transcriptome of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices (DAOM 197198) reveals functional tradeoffs in an obligate symbiont. New Phytol., 193(3):755-69

Koltai H, Cohen M, Chesin O, Mayzlish-Gati E, Bécard G, Puech V, Ben Dor B, Resnick N, Wininger S, Kapulnik Y. (2011) Light is a positive regulator of strigolactone levels in tomato roots. J. Plant Physiol., 168(16):1993-6

Laparre J, Balzergue C, Rochange S, Ludwiczak P, Letisse F, Portais JC, Bécard G, Puech-Pages V. (2011) Metabolite profiling of pea roots in response to phosphate availability. Plant Signal. Behavior, 6: 837-9

Kapulnik* Y, Delaux* PM, Resnick N, Mayzlish-Gati E, Wininger S, Bhattacharya C, Séjalon-Delmas N, Combier JC, Bécard G, Belausov E, Beeckman T, Dor E, Hershenhorn J, Koltai H. (2011) Strigolactones affect lateral root formation and root hair elongation in Arabidopsis. Planta, 233(1):209-16

Maillet F, Poinsot V, André O, Puech-Pagès V, Haouy A, Gueunier M, Cromer L, Giraudet D, Formey D, Niebel A, Andres Martinez E, Driguez H, Bécard G, Dénarié J. (2011) Fungal lipochitooligosaccharidic symbiotic signals in arbuscular mycorrhiza. Nature, 469: 58-63

Balzergue C, Puech-Pagès V, Bécard G, Rochange S. (2011) The regulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis by phosphate in pea involves early and systemic signalling events. J. Exp. Bot., 62: 1049-60