title: Fusion proteins comprising a Fusarium-specific antibody linked to antifungal peptides protect plants against a fungal pathogen.
abstract: In planta expression of recombinant antibodies recognizing pathogen-specific antigens has been proposed as a strategy for crop protection. We report the expression of fusion proteins comprising a Fusarium-specific recombinant antibody linked to one of three antifungal peptides (AFPs) as a method for protecting plants against fungal diseases. A chicken-derived single-chain antibody specific to antigens displayed on the Fusarium cell surface was isolated from a pooled immunocompetent phage display library. This recombinant antibody inhibited fungal growth in vitro when fused to any of the three AFPs. Expression of the fusion proteins in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants conferred high levels of protection against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. matthiolae, whereas plants expressing either the fungus-specific antibody or AFPs alone exhibited only moderate resistance. Our results demonstrate that antibody fusion proteins may be used as effective and versatile tools for the protection of crop plants against fungal infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biologie VII (Molekulare Biotechnologie), RWTH Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peschen
authors.forename: He-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kreuzaler
authors.forename: Yu-Cai
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D049108:Cell Enlargement / Q000187:drug effects; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002688:Chitinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D025282:Mycelium / Q000187:drug effects; D019151:Peptide Library; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D019151:Peptide Library; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D002688:Chitinases; C119825:chitinase C