Abstract: Antimicrobial proteins capable of isolation from seeds of Heuchera or Aesculus show a wide range of antifungal activity and some activity against Gram-positive bacteria. DNA encoding the proteins may be isolated and incorporated into vectors. Plants transformed with this DNA may be produced. The proteins find commercial application as antifungal or antibacterial agents; transformed plants will show increased disease-resistance.

Abstract: The present invention reveals that biotin biosynthesis in a plant is enhanced when the level of one or more of the enzymes in the plant biotin biosynthetic pathway is increased. Based upon this revelation, methods that increase the level of one or more biotin biosynthetic enzymes in plant tissue are provided as a means for achieving enhanced levels of biotin in plant tissue. In particular, a method is provided for enhancing biotin levels by introducing into plant tissue a chimeric gene capable of expressing a biotin biosynthetic enzyme such as biotin synthase. Thus, transgenic plant tissue, including whole plants, having enhanced levels of biotin is likewise provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a genomic RNA of papaya leaf-distortion mosaic virus (PLDMV) having the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and a DNA complementary to the above RNA having the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. These RNA and cDNA are able to render a plant a resisitance to pLDMV and thus extremely useful industrially.