Abstract: Disclosed are peptides that have enhanced stability against plant proteases and are useful in the control of plant diseases. The peptides also have the ability to protect other peptides, polypeptides or proteins from degradation by proteases of plant, fungal, viral, bacterial, insect or other origin. DNA encoding the peptides of the present invention can be co-expressed with other DNA encoding exogenous peptides in transgenic plants as a method for protecting foreign peptides from degradation by proteases. Also disclosed are nucleic acid sequences, microorganisms, plants, and compositions useful for the treatment of plant diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed are peptides that have enhanced stability against plant proteases and are useful in the control of plant diseases. The peptides also have the ability to protect other peptides, polypeptides or proteins from degradation by proteases of plant, fungal, viral, bacterial, insect or other origin. DNA encoding the peptides of the present invention can be co-expressed with other DNA encoding exogenous peptides in transgenic plants as a method for protecting foreign peptides from degradation by proteases. Also disclosed are nucleic acid sequences, microorganisms, plants, and compositions useful for the treatment of plant diseases.

Abstract: A feedback-regulated expression system comprising a nucleic acid construct comprising a first polynucleotide encoding an elicitin operably linked to a first plant promoter comprising at least one E. coli lac operator (LacO) located between the promoter TATA box and the translation initiation site of the first polynucleotide, wherein the first plant promoter is constitutive; and a second polynucleotide encoding an E. coli lac repressor (LacI) operably linked to a PR gene is described. the feedback-regulated expression system is used to generate transgenic plants that have enhanced resistance to plant pathogens.

Abstract: An isolated gene fragment that encodes for acetate kinase, which confers disease resistance in plants is disclosed. The gene can be cloned into an expression vector to produce a recombinant DNA expression system suitable for insertion into cells to form a transgenic plant transformed with the gene fragment. A method for conferring disease resistance in plants that consists of growing plant host cells transformed with the expression system and expressing the gene conferring disease resistance to impart such resistance to host cells is also disclosed.

Abstract: The use of an avr gene hrmA to induce systematic acquired resistance in plant cells, plant seeds, plant tissues and plants is disclosed. Also disclosed is the use of low level expression of promoters in combination with the hrmA gene to provide broad-spectrum pathogen resistance in plant cells, plant seeds, plant tissues and plants.