Using the 5' and 3' RACE technique, full-length gene was isolated and sequenced. However, neither the germinating seeds of pea or cowpea showed any antifungal activity, nor were these proteins implicated in antifungal activity in the past. Homology search and the antifungal activity results suggest that the CaAFP from chickpea represent a new class of antifungal protein family. This is the first time that a protein with an antifungal activity has been identified and purified to homogeneity from the family Legumenaceae. The Ca-AFP was cloned into the plant transformation vector.
Work is in progress to obtain fungal resistant transgenic tobacco, potato and rice plants.