Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant seed under conditions where the polypeptide or protein contacts cells of the plant seed. The present invention is also directed to a pathogen resistance imparting plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plant seeds containing a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be planted in soil and a plant can be propagated from the planted seed under conditions effective to impart pathogen resistance to the plant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules configured to increase or decrease expression of a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a HrpN-interacting protein; nucleic acid constructs that include these nucleic acid molecules; host cells, transgenic plants, and transgenic plant seeds transformed thereby; and methods of increasing plant growth or imparting disease resistance to plants. Also disclosed are an isolated HIPM nucleic acid molecule and an isolated HIPM protein or polypeptide.

Abstract: Isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide that elicit a hypersensitive response in plants and isolated DNA molecules that encode those fragments are disclosed. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can be used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants, either by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments to plants or plant seeds or by providing transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response eliciting fragment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chimeric gene that includes a first DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide, a promoter operably linked 5? to the first DNA molecule to induce transcription of the first DNA molecule in response to activation of the promoter by an oomycete, and a 3? regulatory region operably linked to the first DNA molecule. Also disclosed are an expression system and a host cell containing the chimeric gene. The present invention also relates to a transgenic plant resistant to disease resulting from oomycete infection, the transgenic plant including the chimeric gene, wherein the promoter induces transcription of the first DNA molecule in response to infection of the plant by an oomycete. Transgenic seeds and transgenic cultivars obtained from the transgenic plant are also disclosed. Additional aspects of the present invention include methods of making a recombinant plant cell and a transgenic plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated DNA molecule from Erwinia amylovora that encodes a protein or polypeptide which elicits a hyersensitive response in plants. This isolated DNA molecule can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. Plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing growth in plants. Transgenic plants or transgenic plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein are grown and, optionally, the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds further have the hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein applied to them.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolated active fragments of a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragment does not elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode such fragments. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides in accordance with the present invention and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them have the following activities: imparting disease resistance to plants, enhancing plant growth, and/or controlling insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the fragments of a hypersensitive response elicitor in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated protein or polypeptide which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants as well as an isolated DNA molecule which encodes the hypersensitive response eliciting protein or polypeptide. This isolated protein or polypeptide and the isolated DNA molecule can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: Isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide that elicit a hypersensitive response in plants and isolated DNA molecules that encode those fragments are disclosed. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can be used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants, either by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments to plants or plant seeds or by providing transgenic plants or plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response eliciting fragment.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a DNA construct that contains a first DNA molecule encoding a functional type III secretion system, a promoter, and a second DNA molecule encoding a protein or polypeptide capable of being secreted by the type III secretion system. The second DNA molecule is operably coupled to the promoter so that upon introduction of the DNA construct into a host cell, the encoded protein or polypeptide and the type III secretion system are expressed and the encoded protein or polypeptide is secreted. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a system that includes (i) a first DNA construct having a first DNA molecule encoding a functional type III secretion system and (ii) a second DNA construct having a promoter operably coupled to a second DNA molecule encoding a protein or polypeptide capable of being secreted by the type III secretion system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragments elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode the Erwinia hypersensitive response eliciting fragment. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for delivering effector proteins into a target cell. This method involves introducing into the target cell an effector protein fused to a protein transduction domain of a human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein or derivatives or functional analogs thereof. The present invention also relates to a fusion protein including an effector protein fused to a protein transduction domain of a human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein or derivatives or functional analogs thereof. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a DNA construct including a first DNA molecule encoding an effector protein and a second DNA molecule operatively associated with the first DNA molecule and encoding a protein transduction domain of a human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein or derivatives or functional analogs thereof and its use in a method for delivering effector proteins into a target cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant seed under conditions where the polypeptide or protein contacts cells of the plant seed. The present invention is also directed to a pathogen resistance imparting plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plant seeds containing a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be planted in soil and a plant can be propagated from the planted seed under conditions effective to impart pathogen resistance to the plant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chimeric gene that includes a first DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide, a promoter operably linked 5′ to the first DNA molecule to induce transcription of the first DNA molecule in response to activation of the promoter by an oomycete, and a 3′ regulatory region operably linked to the first DNA molecule. Also disclosed are an expression system and a host cell containing the chimeric gene. The present invention also relates to a transgenic plant resistant to disease resulting from oomycete infection, the transgenic plant including the chimeric gene, wherein the promoter induces transcription of the first DNA molecule in response to infection of the plant by an oomycete. Transgenic seeds and transgenic cultivars obtained from the transgenic plant are also disclosed. Additional aspects of the present invention include methods of making a recombinant plant cell and a transgenic plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of a protein or polypeptide from Gram positive bacteria, such as Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants. This protein or polypeptide can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions where the protein or polypeptide contacts the cells of the plant or the plant seed and is effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing growth of plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant or plant seed under conditions effective to enhance growth of the plant or plants produced from the plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plants or transgenic plant seeds transformed with a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be provided and the transgenic plants or plants resulting from the transgenic plant seeds are grown under conditions effective to enhance plant growth.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to isolated fragments of an Erwinia hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide which fragments elicit a hypersensitive response in plants. Also disclosed are isolated DNA molecules which encode the Erwinia hypersensitive response eliciting fragment. Isolated fragments of hypersensitive response elicitor proteins or polypeptides, which elicit a hypersensitive response, and the isolated DNA molecules that encode them can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response eliciting fragments in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated protein or polypeptide which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants as well as an isolated DNA molecule which encodes the hypersensitive response eliciting protein or polypeptide. This isolated protein or polypeptide and the isolated DNA molecule can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of imparting pathogen resistance to plants. This involves applying a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein in a non-infectious form to a plant seed under conditions where the polypeptide or protein contacts cells of the plant seed. The present invention is also directed to a pathogen resistance imparting plant seed. Alternatively, transgenic plant seeds containing a DNA molecule encoding a hypersensitive response elicitor polypeptide or protein can be planted in soil and a plant can be propagated from the planted seed under conditions effective to impart pathogen resistance to the plant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an isolated protein or polypeptide which elicits a hypersensitive response in plants as well as an isolated DNA molecule which encodes the hypersensitive response eliciting protein or polypeptide. This isolated protein or polypeptide and the isolated DNA molecule can used to impart disease resistance to plants, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants. This can be achieved by applying the hypersensitive response elicitor protein or polypeptide in a non-infectious form to plants or plant seeds under conditions effective to impart disease resistance, to enhance plant growth, and/or to control insects on plants or plants grown from the plant seeds.