Cladosporium fulvum Avr4 protects fungal cell walls against hydrolysis by plant chitinases accumulating during infection.

Resistance against the leaf mold fungus Cladosporium fulvum is mediated by the tomato Cf proteins which belong to the class of receptor-like proteins and indirectly recognize extracellular avirulence proteins (Avrs) of the fungus. Apart from triggering disease resistance, Avrs are believed to play a role in pathogenicity or virulence of C. fulvum.

Altered fungal sensitivity to a plant antimicrobial peptide through over-expression of yeast cDNAs.

A yeast cDNA expression library was screened to identify genes and cellular processes that influence fungal sensitivity to a plant antimicrobial peptide. A plasmid-based, GAL1 promoter-driven yeast cDNA expression library was introduced into a yeast genotype susceptible to the antimicrobial peptide MiAMP1 purified from Macadamia integrifolia. Following a screen of 20,000 cDNAs, three yeast cDNAs were identified that reproducibly provided transformants with galactose-dependent resistance to MiAMP1.

Isolation and characterisation of a class of carbohydrate oxidases from higher plants, with a role in active defence.

In a search for novel plant-derived antimicrobial proteins, we screened extracts from salicylic acid (SA)-treated lettuce and sunflower leaves. These extracts displayed very potent antimicrobial activity against a set of phytopathogens. Characterisation of these extracts revealed that in both extracts, proteins of approximately 60 kDa were responsible for the antimicrobial activity.