title: Antibody-Mediated Pathogen Resistance in Plants.
abstract: The methods described in this chapter were developed in order to produce transgenic plants expressing pathogen-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies fused to antifungal peptides (AFPs), conferring resistance against fungal pathogens. We describe the selection from a phage display library of avian scFv antibodies that recognize cell surface proteins on fungi from the genus Fusarium, and the construction of scFv-AFP fusion protein constructs followed by their transient expression in tobacco (Nicotiana spp.) plants and stable expression in Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Using these techniques, the antibody fusion with the most promising in vitro activity can be used to generate transgenic plants that are resistant to pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae.
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany. dieter.peschen@ime.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peschen
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany. stefan.schillberg@ime.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schillberg
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany. rainer.fischer@ime.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000276:immunology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies
keywords: Antibody; Antibody fragments; Antifungal peptide; Arabidopsis thaliana; Fungal antigens; Fusarium spp.; Pathogen; Single-chain variable fragment; Transgenic plants; scFv