Abstract: The methods and compositions of the present invention find use in impacting microbial pathogens and in enhancing disease resistance to pathogens, particularly by plants. The compositions of the invention include polypeptides that possess antimicrobial properties, particularly fungicidal properties, and the encoding nucleic acid molecules. The polypeptides of the invention are isolated from the hemolymph and fat bodies of insect larvae induced by injection of plant pathogenic fungi. Further provided are plant cells, plants, and seed thereof, transformed with the nucleic acid molecules of the invention so as to confer disease resistance on the plant.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a defensin. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the defensin, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the defensin in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for transforming arthropods with exogenous DNA. The methods are useful for arthropods that have not previously been amenable to DNA-mediated transformation, and also provide a simpler and more efficient means of transforming arthropods than have previously been described. The method involves microinjecting a nucleic acid sequence encoding a desired trait into the reproductive tract of a female arthropod before oviposition.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for transforming arthropods with exogenous DNA. The methods are useful for arthropods that have not previously been amenable to DNA-mediated transformation, and also provide a simpler and more efficient means of transforming arthropods than have previously been described. The method involves microinjecting a nucleic acid sequence encoding a desired trait into the reproductive tract of a female arthropod before oviposition.