Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Susan B Lo

Andre R Abad

Hua Dong

Xiaomei Shi

Billy Fred McCutchen

Takashi Yamamoto

Mark J Nelson

Clement W K Waine

Billy F Mccutchen

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

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Methods and compositions for identifying novel genes that share regions of homology with known genes from target groups of genes of interest are provided. The methods comprise systematically designing oligonucleotide primers that are specific for regions of homology within the nucleotide sequences of a target group of known genes and performing successive rounds of PCR amplification of nucleic acid material from an organism of interest. The PCR steps are intended to identify and amplify nucleic acids comprising both known and novel genes. Nucleic acid molecules comprising known genes are detected and eliminated from further consideration by dot blot analysis using oligonucleotide probes specific for the known genes in the target group. Potentially novel genes are subjected to further sequence analysis to confirm novelty and assayed for biological activity. Compositions of the present invention include novel polynucleotides, and variants and fragments thereof, that comprise novel genes and the polypeptides encoded thereby.

Method for identifying novel genes

Growing community of inventors

West Des Moines, IA, United States of America

Susan B Lo