Suspension-cultured BY-2 tobacco cells produce and mature immunologically active house dust mite allergens.

The replacement of crude allergen extracts by selected allergens currently represents a major goal for the improvement of allergy diagnosis and immunotherapy. Indeed, the development of molecularly defined vaccines would facilitate both standardization and enhance batch-to-batch reproducibility as well as treatment specificity. In this study, we have investigated the potential of tobacco plant cells to produce biologically active forms of the two major allergens from the house dust mite.

Variation in the life cycle and morphology of the tobacco host-race of Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in relation to its geographical distribution.

Morphological variation and life cycle category were examined in 121 clones of Myzus persicae (Sulzer). The clones were collected from tobacco from three localities in Greece (Xanthi, Nea Efessos and Naphplion), one in Germany (Rheinstetten), one in France (Bergerac) and one in Spain (Madrid). Before morphometrics, all aphids were laboratory-reared on potato.

Pathogen-induced elicitin production in transgenic tobacco generates a hypersensitive response and nonspecific disease resistance.

The rapid and effective activation of disease resistance responses is essential for plant defense against pathogen attack. These responses are initiated when pathogen-derived molecules (elicitors) are recognized by the host. We have developed a strategy for creating novel disease resistance traits whereby transgenic plants respond to infection by a virulent pathogen with the production of an elicitor.