Protection of plants against plant pathogens

Abstract

Transgenic plants that express properly processed ruminant or ruminant-like lysozymes and that are resistant to bacterial pathogens, including both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, are provided. A preferred embodiment provides transgenic tobacco plants that express a sufficient concentration of properly processed bovine lysozyme c2 to render the plants less susceptible to bacterial plant pathogens. Methods and compositions for treatment of plants, seeds and other plant tissues prior to or after exposure or infection with bacterial plant pathogens are also provided. In particular, compositions and methods of contacting plants with such compositions that contain a concentration of bovine lysozyme c2 or other ruminant or ruminant-like lysozyme are provided. A signal sequence that is effective for properly processing heterologous proteins that are expressed in transgenic plants is also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.