A 35s cauliflower mosaic virus promoter and a tapetum-specific promoter were used to direct the synthesis in tobacco of preproactinidin and a derivative that lacked a C-terminal extension. Preproactinidin was processed into a form that migrated identically on protein gels with mature actinidin extracted from kiwifruit. This protein was proteolytically active in vitro, and high-leve1 accumulation of this protein appeared to be detrimental to plant growth. Plants expressing an actinidin cDNA construct that lacked the sequence encoding the C-terminal propeptide were phenotypically normal but accumulated N-proactinidin, which was proteolytically active in vitro but did not self-cieave to mature actinidin. In transgenic tobacco, the C-terminal extension of actinidin is therefore required for correct processing.