Antibiotic activities of peptides, hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite in plant defence

Genes encoding plant antibiotic peptides show expression patterns that are consistent with a defence role. Transgenic over-expression of defence peptide genes is potentially useful to engineer resistance of plants to relevant pathogens. Pathogen mutants that are sensitive to plant peptides in vitro have been obtained and a decrease of their virulence in planta has been observed, Which is consistent with their hypothetical defence role. A similar approach has been followed to elucidate the potential direct anti-microbial role of hydrogen peroxide, Additionally, a scavenger of peroxynitrite has been used to investigate its involvement in plant defence, (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.