AXMI-031, AXMI-039, AXMI-040 and AXMI-049, a family of novel delta endotoxin genes and methods for their use

A plant having stably incorporated into its genome a DNA construct comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a protein having pesticidal activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:

• a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, or 37, or a complement thereof;
• b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, or 38;
• c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, or 38, wherein said amino acid sequence has pesticidal activity against a lepidopteran or a nematode pest;
• and,
• d) the delta endotoxin nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited at the NRRL as Accession Nos. B-30935 or a complement thereof;
• wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a promoter that drives expression of a coding sequence in a plant cell.

A method for protecting a plant from a pest, said method comprising introducing into said plant or cell thereof at least one expression vector comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a pesticidal polypeptide, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of:

• a) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, or 37, or a complement thereof;
• b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, or 38;
• c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, or 38, wherein said amino acid sequence has pesticidal activity against a lepidopteran or a nematode pest;
• and,
• d) the delta endotoxin nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert of the plasmid deposited at the NRRL as Accession Nos. B-30935 or a complement thereof.