Enhanced resistance to bacterial diseases of transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing sarcotoxin IA, a bactericidal peptide of insect

Sarcotoxin IA is a bactericidal peptide of 39 amino acids found in the comm on flesh hy, Sarcophaga peregrina. Many agronomically important bacteria in Japan are killed by this peptide at sub-micro molar levels, and the growth of tobacco and rice suspension cultured cells is not inhibited with less t han 25 mu M. Transgenic tobacco plants which overexpress the peptide, i.e. over 250 pmol per gram of fresh leaf, under the control of a high expressio n constitutive promoter showed enhanced resistance to the pathogens for wil d fire disease (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci) and bacterial soft rot dis ease (Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora).