Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Eden Bioscience Corporation

Ron J Laby

Steven V Beer

Zhong-Min Wei

Alan Collmer

David W Bauer

Sheng-Yang He

Hao Fan

Jennifer J Stephens

Isolated fragments of anhypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide that elicit a hypersensitive response in plants and isolated DNA molecules that encode those fragments are disclosed. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can be used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants, either by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments to plants or plant seeds or by providing transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response eliciting fragment.

Hypersensitive response elicitor fragments eliciting a hypersensitive response and uses thereof

The present invention is directed to isolated active fragments of a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragment does not elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode such fragments. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides in accordance with the present invention and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them have the following activities: imparting disease resistance to plants, enhancing plant growth, and/or controlling insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the fragments of a hypersensitive response elicitor in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds. Alternatively, transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding the fragment can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the trasgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Hypersensitive response elicitor fragments which are active but do not elicit a hypersensitive response

The present invention is directed to isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragments elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode the Erwinia hypersensitive response eliciting fragment. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds. Alternatively, transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response eliciting fragment can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for proteinaceous elicitors of the plant defense reaction known as the hypersensitive response are described along with methods for preparation and processes for inactivation.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Ron J Laby