Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

Other

A Gururaj Rao

Larry R Beach

Lingxiu Zhong

Heidi Major Sleister

John A Howard

Terry EuClaire Meyer

Rudolf Jung

David A Peterson

Elizabeth E Hood

David S Ertl

Thomas H Czapla

James C Register, Iii

Chris L Baszczynski

Jerome P Ranch

Derrick Witcher

Virginia M Dress

Nandha Kumar Balasubramaniam

Regina K Higgins

Rebecca J Putnam

Derivatives of &#x3b1;-hordothionin made by position-specific substitution with lysine residues provide lysine enrichment while retaining the antifungal activity of the parent compound.

High lysine derivatives of &#x3b1;-hordothionin

The present invention provides a plant seed the endosperm of which is characterized as having an elevated level of a preselected amino acid. The present invention also provides expression cassettes, vectors, plants, plant cells and a method for enhancing the nutritional value of seeds.

Alteration of amino acid compositions in seeds

Methods and compositions for altering amino acid composition of a protein of interest are provided, particularly proteins whose three-dimensional structure is unknown. The method comprises creating interacting molecules to the native protein and selecting for engineered proteins which retain the native conformation by antibody binding. In this manner, the levels of essential amino acids in a protein can be increased yet the biological activity of the protein maintained. Also provided is an exemplary plant protein&#x2014;vegetative storage protein (VSP)&#x2014;in which methionine levels have been increased.

Compositions and methods for altering amino acid content of proteins

Compositions comprising antimicrobial peptides are provided. The peptides are derivatives of tachyplesin having amino acid substitutions in which the four cysteine residues are replaced with hydrophobic amino acids. The compositions are useful in methods of the control of fungal and bacterial activity in agricultural and medical applications. Methods for making and using the compounds of the invention are additionally provided.

Peptide derivatives of tachyplesin having antimicrobial activity

Derivatives of .alpha.-hordothionin made by position-specific substitution with lysine residues provide lysine enrichment while retaining the antifungal activity of the parent compound.

High lysine derivatives of .alpha.-hordothionin

Compounds which are derived from Bauhinia purpurea lectin by replacement of one or more lysine residues in the molecule with other amino acid residues which either preserve the positive charge at the position of the substitution or provide a neutral residue at the position of the substitution are effective larvicides against insects such as European corn borer.

Derivatives of Bauhinia purpurea lectin and their use as larvicides

A method for commercial production of aprotinin entails heterologous expression of the protein in plants, preferably at a level such that aprotinin accounts for at least 0.1% of the total extracted protein. An aprotinin-expressing plant also has potential of increased insecticidal resistance by virtue of producing the protein. A genetic map of the integration locus allows identification of plants derived from the transgenic plant. This approach also reveals genetic loci on a plant chromosome that support high levels of gene expression and can be used as site of integration for expression of other genes of interest.

Commercial production of aprotinin in plants

Synthetic polypeptides exhibiting amphipathic alpha-helices provide cell-expressible antimicrobial activity.

Synthetic antimicobial peptides

Synthetic antimicrobial peptides

Certain specific derivatives of the 17-amino acid peptide tachyplesin has been found to have antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens. In a preferred embodiment, plant resistance to diseases caused by plant pathogens which are susceptible to these peptides is produced by inserting into the cells of a plant a gene whose expression causes production of one or more of the peptides of this invention in the plant in antimicrobial amounts.

Derivatives of tachyplesin having inhibitory activity towards plant

Two synthetic polypeptides provide cell-expressible antifungal activity.

Growing community of inventors

Urbandale, IA, United States of America

A Gururaj Rao