Methods and compositions for regulating cell death and enhancing disease resistance to plant pathogens

A chimeric gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein that catalyzes the sequential decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III, wherein said protein is at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

• 2, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter, and wherein said chimeric gene is operable within a plant cell.

A transformation vector comprising a chimeric gene, said chimeric gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein that catalyzes the sequential decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III, wherein said protein is at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter, wherein said chimeric gene is operable within a plant cell.

A transformed plant having stably integrated into its genome an expression cassette comprising a chimeric gene said chimeric gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein that catalyzes the sequential decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III, wherein said protein is at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter, and wherein said chimeric gene is operable within a plant cell.

A method for enhancing disease resistance to a pathogen in a plant, said method comprising transforming a plant cell with an expression cassette comprising a chimeric gene, said gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein that catalyzes the sequential decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III, wherein said protein is at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

• 2, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter that is operable within a plant cell, and regenerating a stably transformed plant from said plant cell.

An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein that catalyzes the sequential decarboxylation of uroporphyrinogen III to coproporphyrinogen III, wherein said nucleotide sequence is the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

• 1.

A chimeric gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

• 1, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter, wherein said chimeric gene is operable within a plant cell.

A method for enhancing disease resistance to a pathogen in a plant, said method comprising transforming a plant with an expression cassette comprising a chimeric gene, said chimeric gene comprising an antisense nucleotide sequence for the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:

• 1, wherein said antisense sequence is operably linked to a pathogen inducible promoter that is operable within a plant cell, and regenerating a stably transformed plant from said plant cell.