NmDef02, a novel antimicrobial gene isolated from Nicotiana megalosiphon confers high-level pathogen resistance under greenhouse and field conditions.
Plant defensins are small cysteine-rich peptides that inhibit the growth of a broad range of microbes. In this article, we describe NmDef02, a novel cDNA encoding a putative defensin isolated from Nicotiana megalosiphon upon inoculation with the tobacco blue mould pathogen Peronospora hyoscyami f.sp. tabacina. NmDef02 was heterologously expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris, and the purified recombinant protein was found to display antimicrobial activity in vitro against important plant pathogens. Constitutive expression of NmDef02 gene in transgenic tobacco and potato plants enhanced resistance against various plant microbial pathogens, including the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of the economically important potato late blight disease, under greenhouse and field conditions.
Portieles
Roxana
R
Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba.
Ayra
Camilo
C
Gonzalez
Ernesto
E
Gallo
Araiz
A
Rodriguez
Raisa
R
Chacón
Osmany
O
López
Yunior
Y
Rodriguez
Mayra
M
Castillo
Juan
J
Pujol
Merardo
M
Enriquez
Gil
G
Borroto
Carlos
C
Trujillo
Luis
L
Thomma
Bart P H J
BP
Borrás-Hidalgo
Orlando
O
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D023082:Defensins / Q000235:genetics*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D044742:Peronospora; D010838:Phytophthora; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D023082:Defensins