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US 7,030,295 B2Granted
Modified Cry3A toxins and nucleic acid sequences coding therefor
AssigneeSyngenta Participations AG
InventorsEric Chen, Cheryl Stacy
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AssigneeSyngenta Participations AG
InventorsEric Chen, Cheryl Stacy
Estimating the term…
Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, novel nucleic acid sequences encoding modified Cry3A toxins having increased toxicity to corn rootworm are provided. By inserting a protease recognition site, such as cathepsin G, that is recognized by a gut protease of a target insect in at least one position of a Cry3A toxin a modified Cry3A toxin having significantly greater toxicity, particularly to western and northern corn rootworm is designed. Further, a method of making the modified Cry3A toxins and methods of using the modified cry3A nucleic acid sequences, for example in microorganisms to control insects or in transgenic plants to confer protection from insect damage, and a method of using the modified Cry3A toxins, and compositions and formulations comprising the modified Cry3A toxins, for example applying the modified Cry3A toxins or compositions or formulations to insect-infested areas, or to prophylactically treat insect-susceptible areas or plants to confer protection against the insect pests are disclosed.
An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a modified Cry3A toxin comprising a cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said cathepsin G recognition site modifies a Cry3A toxin and is located at a position between amino acids corresponding to amino acid numbers 107 and 115 of SEQ ID NO:
A transgenic maize plant comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a modified Cry3A toxin comprising a cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said cathepsin G recognition site modifies a Cry3A toxin and is located at a position between amino acids corresponding to amino acid numbers 107 and 115 of SEQ ID NO:4, wherein said cathepsin G recognition site is recognizable by a gut protease of western corn rootworm, and wherein said transgenic plant expresses said modified Cry3A toxin in root tissue at a level that causes mortality to western corn rootworm.
A modified cry3A gene comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a modified Cry3A toxin comprising a cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said modified cry3A gene comprises a coding sequence encoding said cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said coding sequence modifies a cry3A gene and is inserted at a position between the codons that code for amino acids corresponding to amino acid numbers 107 and 115 of SEQ ID NO:4, wherein said cathepsin G 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.
A transgenic maize plant comprising a modified cry3A gene comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a modified Cry3A toxin comprising a cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said modified cry3A gene comprises a coding sequence encoding said cathepsin G recognition site, wherein said coding sequence modifies a cry3A gene and is inserted at a position between the codons that code for amino acids corresponding to amino acid numbers 107 and 115 of SEQ ID NO:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.