AXMI-205 pesticidal gene and methods for its use

A recombinant polypeptide with pesticidal activity, selected from the group consisting of:

• a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8;
• b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8, wherein said amino acid sequence has pesticidal activity;
• c) a polypeptide that is encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1;
• and
• d) a polypeptide that is encoded by a nucleotide sequence which will hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:1, 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein said hybridization conditions comprise hybridization for 4 to 12 hours in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, and 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C., and wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having pesticidal activity.

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, 9, 10, 11 or 12;
• b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8;
• c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8, wherein said amino acid sequence has pesticidal activity;
• and
• d) a nucleotide sequence which will hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a), wherein said hybridization conditions comprise hybridization for 4 to 12 hours in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, and 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C., and wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having pesticidal activity;
• 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 an insect pest, comprising expressing in a plant or cell thereof 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, 9, 10, 11 or 12;
• b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8;
• c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8, wherein said amino acid sequence has pesticidal activity;
• and
• d) a nucleotide sequence which will hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a), wherein said hybridization conditions comprise hybridization for 4 to 12 hours in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, and 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C., and wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having pesticidal activity.

A method for increasing yield in a plant comprising growing in a field a plant of or a seed thereof 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 set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 9, 10, 11 or 12;
• b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8;
• c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of any of SEQ ID NO:2, 3, 4, 7, or 8;
• and
• d) a nucleotide sequence which will hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to the complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a), wherein said hybridization conditions comprise hybridization for 4 to 12 hours in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, and 1% SDS at 37° C., and a wash in 0.1×SSC at 60 to 65° C., and wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having pesticidal activity;
• wherein said field is infested with a pest against which said polypeptide has pesticidal activity.