Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for preventing or treating proliferative diseases. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of compositions derived or derivable from plants, such as plant defensins, particularly in methods for the prevention or treatment of proliferative diseases such as cancer. The present invention also relates to associated uses, systems and kits.

Abstract: The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules derived from Nicotiana alata, which encode defensin-like molecules. The present invention contemplates the use of such nucleic acid molecules in the generation of transgenic plants having resistance or at least reduced sensitivity to plant pests including insects, microorganisms, fungi and/or viruses and the of the encoded defensin-like molecules in compositions for topical application to a plant or a plant part so as to reduce prevent or reduce infestation of the plant or plant part by plant pests. The transgenic plants provided by the present invention include monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, and particularly include crop plants and ornamental flowering plants.

Abstract: The invention herein includes a general method for reducing or eliminating a toxic effect of transgenic defensin expression in a host plant. The invention also includes a method of modifying a nucleic acid encoding a defensin, a nucleic acid modified thereby and a modified defensin encoded by the modified nucleic acid sequence. The invention also includes a transgenic plant containing and expressing the modified defensin-coding nucleic acid sequence, the plant exhibiting reduced or eliminated toxic effects of defensin, compared with otherwise comparable transgenic plants expressing an unmodified defensin. The modified defensin is termed a chimeric defensin having a mature defensin domain of a first plant defensin combined with a C-terminal propeptide domain of a second plant defensin or a vacuolar translocation peptide.