Abstract: The invention concerns tools, methods and compositions for modifying plants and/or protein expression in plants. The invention concerns in particular transcriptional promoters enabling specific expression in the trichomes, constructs containing said promoters, and their uses for genetically modifying cells, seeds or plants. The invention also concerns methods for producing transgenic plants expressing proteins or metabolites of interest. The invention is generally applicable to any plant having glandular trichomes, and to the expression of any protein of industrial interest, in particular therapeutic or phytosanitary.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing terpenes of interest in plants having glandular trichomes, as well as plants useful for producing said terpenes of interest. Said plants comprise a sequence encoding a heterologous terpene synthase under the control of a promoter enabling it to be specifically expressed in the trichomes. Moreover, the pathway for producing endogenous diterpenes is preferably blocked in the trichomes of the plants, to increase the flow in the heterologous pathway. The secretion of heterologous terpenes is spontaneous resulting in easy collection. The present invention also concerns plants exhibiting a blocked production of a compound having antibiotic properties at the surface of leaves exhibiting enhanced efficiency of transformation by a bacterium.