Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

Verdia Inc.

Mathias L Muller

Michael W Lassner

Gusui Wu

Robert Keenan

Hana S Ali

Carl R Simmons

Nasser Yalpani

Jun-Zhi Wei

Thom True

Gowri Shah

Robert J Keenan

Compositions and methods for protecting a plant from a pathogen, particularly a fungal pathogen, are provided. Compositions include novel amino acid sequences, and variants and fragments thereof, for antipathogenic polypeptides that were isolated from maize. Nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences that encode the antipathogenic polypeptides of the embodiments are also provided. A method for inducing pathogen resistance in a plant using the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein is further provided. The method comprises introducing into a plant a DNA construct comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antipathogenic polypeptide of the embodiments. Compositions comprising an antipathogenic polypeptide or a transformed microorganism comprising a nucleic acid of the embodiments in combination with a carrier and methods of using these compositions to protect a plant from a pathogen are further provided. Transformed plants, plant cells, seeds, and microorganisms comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antipathogenic polypeptide of the embodiments, or variant or fragment thereof, are also disclosed.

Maize antimicrobial nucleic acids useful for enhancing plant resistance to pathogens

Methods for protecting a plant from a plant pathogenic fungus are provided. A method for enhancing fungal pathogen resistance in a plant using the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein is further provided. The method comprises introducing into a plant an expression cassette comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antifungal polypeptide of the invention. Transformed plants, plant cells, seeds, and microorganisms comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antifungal polypeptide of the embodiments, or variant or fragment thereof, are also disclosed.

Methods of protecting plants from pathogenic fungi

Maize antimicrobial protein useful for enhancing plant resistance to pathogens

Methods for protecting a plant from a pathogen, particularly a pathogenic fungus or nematode, are provided. A method for enhancing pathogen resistance in a plant using the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein is further provided. The method comprises introducing into a plant an expression cassette comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antipathogenic polypeptide of the invention. Transformed plants, plant cells, seeds, and microorganisms comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes an antipathogenic polypeptide of the embodiments, or variant or fragment thereof, are also disclosed.

Methods of protecting plants from pathogenic fungi and nematodes

The present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a chitinase and methods for it to enhance resistance of plants to fungal infections.

Nucleic acid encoding a chitinase and methods of using it to make fungal resistant plants

Growing community of inventors

Waukee, IA, United States of America

Mathias L Muller