Expression of an antifungal peptide in Saccharomyces: A new approach for biological control of the postharvest disease caused by Colletotrichum coccodes

A cecropin A-based peptide inhibited germination of Colletotrichum coccodes at 50 muM. The DNA sequence encoding the peptide was cloned in pRS413, using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase leader sequence for secretion of the peptide, and expressed in yeast. Yeast transformants inhibited the growth of germinated C, coccodes spores and inhibited decay development caused by C. coccodes in tomato fruits. Expression of the antifungal peptide in yeast therefore represents a new approach for the biological control of postharvest diseases.