Antimicrobial peptides
AssigneeThe Research Foundation of State University of New York
InventorsWilliam Allen Powell, Charles A. Maynard
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to antimicrobial polypeptides and to nucleic acid molecules encoding these antimicrobial polypeptides. The polypeptide consists of from 15 to 20 amino acids and has an amphipathic alpha helix structure, wherein 3 or more of the amino acids form a positively charged domain extending axially along the alpha helix. Expression vectors, host cells, and transgenic plants, as well as methods of producing plants having improved resistance to fungal and bacterial infestation, are also provided.
Claims44
An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an antimicrobial polypeptide, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes an amino acid sequence as shown in a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14.
An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide, said polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
- a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of 15+q amino acid residues, wherein residues number n, n+7, n+10, and n+14 are positively charged amino acids, wherein at least one of residues number n, n+7, n+10, and n+14 is arginine, wherein remaining amino acid residues are nonpolar amino acids or uncharged polar amino acids, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 1+q, and wherein q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5;
- a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of 15+q amino acid residues, wherein residues number n, n+6, n+7, n+10, n+13, and n+14 are positively charged amino acids, wherein remaining amino acid residues are nonpolar amino acids or uncharged polar amino acids, and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 1+q, and wherein q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5;
- a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of 15+q amino acid residues, wherein residues number n, n+7, and n+14 are positively charged amino acids, wherein remaining amino acid residues are nonpolar amino acids, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 1+q, and wherein q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5;
- and
- a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of 15+q amino acid residues, wherein residues number n, n+7, and n+10 are positively charged amino acids, wherein remaining amino acid residues are nonpolar amino acids, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 5+q, and wherein q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
An expression vector designated pWEA1.
An expression vector designated pWEA2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.