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.