DEFENSIN-ENCODING NUCLEIC ACID MOLECULES DERIVED FROM NICOTIANA ALATA, USES THEREFOR AND TRANSGENIC PLANTS COMPRISING SAME

摘要

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules derived from Nicotiana alata, which encode defensin-like molecules. The present invention contemplates the use of such nucleic acid molecules in the generation of transgenic plants having resistance or at least reduced sensitivity to plant pests including insects, microorganisms, fungi and/or viruses and the of the encoded defensin-like molecules in compositions for topical application to a plant or a plant part so as to reduce prevent or reduce infestation of the plant or plant part by plant pests. The transgenic plants provided by the present invention include monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, and particularly include crop plants and ornamental flowering plants.

主权项

1. A method for generating a plant seed with increased or enhanced resistance to a plant pest, said method comprising introducing into the genome of a cell of a plant seed a genetic construct comprising a promoter or functional equivalent thereof operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a floral-derived, defensin-like molecule having a mature domain comprising the amino acid sequence:—a1a2CIa3a4a5a6a7a8a9a10a11a12CIIa13a14a15a16a17CIIIa18a19a20CIVa21a22a23a24a25a26a27a8a29CVa30a31a32a33a34a35CVIa36CVIIa37a38a39CVIII wherein “a” may be the same or different and represents any amino acid residue, the numerical subscript on each “a” represents its position in the amino acid sequence and “C” represents a cysteine residue at a position indicated by its Roman numeral and wherein said mature domain exhibits inhibitory activity against plant pests such as insect pests and regenerating a plant from said cell or group of cells.