Abstract: The present invention provides a method of reducing the period within which a plant's natural defence mechanism responds to attack by a plant pathogen, the method comprising causing the plant to maintain, in at least a part of the plant, a level of BiP, or a homologue thereof, which is greater than the endogenous level for said plant in non-stressful conditions. Increased BiP levels can be achieved by transformation with a nucleic acid encoding BiP or calreticulin or modifying signal transduction pathways leading to BiP induction. BiP levels can be increased above endogenous levels by over-expressing BiP or calreticulin. The invention also provides for a modified plant produced by the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of increasing heterologous protein expression/production in a cell by controlling proteolysis in the post ER compartment of the cell Proteolysis can be controlled by limiting/preventing export of proteins from the ER to the post ER compartment of the cell and/or by re-directing proteins from the vacuolar sorting route back to the ER or on towards the cell surface.