Compositions and methods for pest control management
AssigneesUniversity of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lepidext LLC
InventorsBruce Webb, Kendra Hitz Steele, Angelika Fath-Goodin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are genetically modified nudiviruses capable of being sexually transmitted by an insect useful for controlling pest populations. The genetically modified nudiviruses are capable of causing sterility in a target population of insects. Also disclosed are insects infected with the disclosed genetically modified nudiviruses, methods of making the genetically modified nudiviruses, and methods of using the genetically modified nudiviruses to control an insect pest population.
Claims16
A genetically modified Helicoverpa zea nudivirus 2 (HzNV-2) virus having at least about 80% sequence identity to a wild type Helicoverpa zea nudivirus 2 (HzNV-2) virus,
- wherein said genetically modified Helicoverpa zea nudivirus 2 (HzNV-2) has a mutation in a region selected from Open Reading Frame 90 (ORF90), Open Reading Frame 92 (ORF92), Persistance-associated Gene (pag1), or a combination thereof,
- wherein said mutation disrupts expression of the gene product encoded by said mutant region and wherein said mutation increases the rate of an agonadal phenotype in a progeny of a moth infected with said genetically modified HzNV-2 as compared to a progeny of a moth infected with a wild-type HzNV-2 virus.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.