TRANSGENIC PLANTS EXPRESSING MODIFIED Cry3A
AssigneeSyngenta Participations AG
InventorsEric CHEN, Cheryl Stacy
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Abstract
Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, transgenic maize plants comprising nucleic acid molecules encoding modified Cry3A toxins having increased toxicity to western corn rootworm are provided. Such modified Cry3A toxins, into which a non-naturally occurring protease recognition site is inserted, are expressed at levels in transgenic plants to inhibit insect feeding damage and cause insect mortality.
Claims14
A transgenic plant comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a modified Cry3A toxin comprising a non-naturally occurring protease recognition site, wherein said protease recognition site modifies a Cry3A toxin and is located at a position between amino acids corresponding to amino acid numbers 107 and 113 of SEQ ID NO:4, wherein said protease recognition site is recognizable by a gut protease of western corn rootworm, and wherein said modified Cry3A toxin causes higher mortality to western corn rootworm than the mortality caused by said Cry3A toxin to western corn rootworm in an artificial diet bioassay.
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