Gene Expression of the Antimicrobial Peptide Bombinin Increases the Resistance of Transgenic Tobacco Plants to Phytopathogens

Abstract

Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants with an artificial gene from the antimicrobial peptide bombinin (bom) have been obtained and studied. The presence of the bom gene in the genome of kanamycin-resistant plants was shown by PCR. Expression of the bom gene was confirmed by antimicrobial activity measurements in leaf extracts. The obtained plants were morphogenetically resistant to Erwinia carotovora bacteria and Rhizoctonia solani fungi phytopathogens. In addition, the protective oxidative reaction to the infection, i.e., the SOD activity and proline content, were lower in transgenic plants than in the infected nontransgenic plants. Plants with the expression of the antimicrobial bombinin peptide gene are promising for use in agricultural biotechnology as plant protectors.