Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.

Patricia Koutz

Gregory P Thill

William D Prevatt

Kathryn A Barr

Geneva R Davis

Kotikanyadanam Sreekrishna

Sharon A Hopkins

A method for producing one or more Bacillus toxin polypeptides by culturing methylotrophic yeast cells which have a gene(s) capable of expressing the Bacillus toxin polypeptide(s) in such cells under conditions that the gene(s) is/are transcribed is provided. The toxin polypeptide encoding segment of the gene(s) has a G+C content of about 40%-55%, and preferably comprises methylotrophic yeast codons. The preferred species of yeast for expressing such synthetic Bacillus toxin gene(s) is Pichia pastoris. Bacillus toxin polypeptides encoded by synthetic genes are expressed at high levels in transformed methylotrophic yeast cells. The toxin expressing cells may be administered as live cells or heat-killed whole cells to provide an insecticidal composition for killing susceptible insect larvae. Also provided by the present invention are DNAs capable of transforming methylotrophic yeast to express one or more Bacillus toxin polypeptides, cultures of such yeast cells transformed with such DNAs and novel Bacillus toxin polypeptides made by the method of the invention. The transformed yeast cells of the present invention are readily ingested as food by insect larvae which are susceptible to the toxin polypeptides.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Patricia Koutz