The methods and compositions of the present invention find use in
impacting microbial pathogens and in enhancing disease resistance to
pathogens, particularly by plants. The compositions of the invention
include polypeptides that possess antimicrobial properties, particularly
fungicidal properties, and the encoding nucleic acid molecules. The
polypeptides of the invention are isolated from the hemolymph and fat
bodies of insect larvae induced by injection of plant pathogenic fungi.
Further provided are plant cells, plants, and seed thereof, transformed
with the nucleic acid molecules of the invention so as to confer disease
resistance on the plant.
