Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Ronald D Flannagan

Andre R Abad

Billy Fred McCutchen

Albert Laurence Lu

Rafael Herrmann

James Kevin Presnail

Terry EuClaire Meyer

Janet Ann Rice

Cao Guo Yu

Cao-Guo Yu

James F Wong

Theodore W Kahn

André Abad

Nicholas B Duck

Lynne Eileen Sims

Xiang Feng

Janet A Rice

Billy F Mccutchen

Eric J Schepers

James F H Wong

Gary C Chun

Xiaofeng Sean Yang

Bin Hu

The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains ofencoding &#x3b4;-endotoxins having pesticidal activity against pests of the order Coleoptera. The invention further provides mutagenized nucleic acids that have been modified to encode endotoxins having improved pesticidal activity and/or altered pest specificity. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, pesticidal compositions, expression cassettes, and transformed microorganisms and plants comprising a nucleic acid of the invention. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.

Genes encoding novel proteins with pesticidal activity against coleopterans

Compositions and methods for protecting a plant from an insect pest are provided. In particular, nucleic acid sequences encoding insect protoxins modified to comprise at least one proteolytic activation site that is sensitive to a plant protease or an insect gut protease are provided. Cleavage of the modified protoxin at the proteolytic activation site by a protease produces an active insect toxin. Methods of using the modified insect protoxin nucleic acid sequences and the polypeptides they encode to protect a plant from an insect pest are provided. Particular embodiments of the invention further provide modified insect protoxin compositions and formulations, expression cassettes, and transformed plants, plant cells, and seeds.

Nucleic acid molecules encodng a cathepsin L-like cysteine protease

The invention relates to Bt toxin resistance management. The invention particularly relates to the isolation and characterization of nucleic acid and polypeptides for a novel Bt toxin receptor. The nucleic acid and polypeptides are useful in identifying and designing novel Bt toxin receptor ligands including novel insecticidal toxins.

Screening methods using novel BT toxin receptors from lepidopteran insects

Plant activation of insect toxin

Compositions and methods for protecting a plant from an insect pest are provided. In particular, novel polynucleotides and the pesticidal polypeptides they encode are provided. Methods of using the novel polynucleotides and pesticidal polypeptides of the invention to protect a plant from an insect pest are further provided. Particular embodiments of the invention provide pesticidal compositions and formulations, DNA constructs, and transformed plants, plant cells, and seeds.

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The invention providestoxins having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including Lepidoptera. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated pesticidal proteins and pesticidal compositions. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.

The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains ofencoding &#x3b4;-endotoxins having pesticidal activity against pests of the order Coleoptera. The invention further provides mutagenized nucleic acids that have been modified to encode endotoxins having improved pesticidal activity and/or altered pest specificity. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, expression cassettes comprising such nucleic acids, and transformed plants and seeds comprising a nucleic acid of the invention. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.

In particular aspects of the invention, nucleic acid molecules encoding novel proteases identified in the midgut of(i.e., western corn rootworm) are provided. The nucleotide sequences encode novel cysteine proteases that belong to the cathepsin L-like subfamily of proteases. Variants and fragments of the nucleotide sequences that encode polypeptide sequences that possess proteolytic activity are further disclosed. Methods of using the nucleic acid sequences that encode novel proteases to protect a plant from an insect pest are provided. Particular embodiments also provide vectors, expression cassettes and transformed host cells comprising a protease nucleic acid of the invention.

Nucleic acid molecules encoding cysteine proteases

The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains ofencoding Cry9 &#x3b4;-endotoxins having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, expression cassettes, and transformed plants comprising a nucleic acid of the invention.

Exogenous proteases for plant activation of insect toxin

The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains ofencoding &#x3b4;-endotoxins having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including Lepidoptera. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, pesticidal compositions, expression cassettes, and transformed microorganisms and plants comprising a nucleic acid of the invention. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.

Growing community of inventors

Grimes, IA, United States of America

Ronald D Flannagan