A stable antimicrobial peptide with dual functions of treating and preventing citrus Huanglongbing

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most destructive citrus disease worldwide and has caused billions of dollars in annual production losses, threatening the entire citrus industry. Despite extensive research efforts, there are still no effective management tools to treat HLB-positive trees or to prevent new infections. Current HLB management strategies include chemical application of insecticides and traditional heat-sensitive antibiotics, which pose threats to humans, animal health, and the environment, and likely generate drug resistant insects and microbes. Here, we identified a novel class of stable antimicrobial peptides (SAMPs) from Australian finger lime and other HLB-tolerant citrus close relatives, which has dual functions of inhibiting CLas growth in HLB-positive trees and activating host immunity to prevent new infections.