CONTROL OF VIRAL AND BACTERIAL INFECTION BY ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES RETROCYLIN AND/OR PROTEGRIN EXPRESSED IN CHLOROPLASTS

摘要

Disclosed herein are antimicrobial compositions containing one or more antimicrobial peptides having been expressed in chloroplasts. Exemplified herein are the expression and use of retrocylin and protegrin. Disclosed herein are methods of engineering chloroplasts to express such antimicrobial peptides such that they are properly processed and active. Plants containing such chloroplasts are disclosed as well. The chloroplast expressed peptides are useful to delay, prevent or treat viral and bacterial infections.