Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests

Abstract

Novel insecticidal proteins that are toxic to lepidopteran pests are disclosed. The DNA encoding the insecticidal proteins can be used to transform prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms to express the insecticidal proteins. The recombinant organisms or compositions containing the recombinant organisms or the insecticidal proteins alone or in combination with an appropriate agricultural carrier can be used to control lepidopteran pests in various environments.

1 . A nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a Cry protein that is toxic to a lepidopteran pest, wherein the nucleotide sequence (a) has at least 80% to at least 99% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 2, or a toxin-encoding fragment thereof; or (b) encodes a Cry protein comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 80% to at least 99% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 32, or a toxin fragment thereof; or (c) is a synthetic sequence of (a) or (b) that has codons optimized for expression in a transgenic organism. 
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 2, or a toxin-encoding fragment thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the Cry protein comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32 or SEQ ID NO: 42, or a toxic fragment thereof. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A chimeric gene comprising a heterologous promoter operably linked to the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The chimeric gene of  claim 5 , wherein the heterologous promoter is a plant expressible promoter. 
     
     
         7 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . An isolated or recombinant Cry protein that is toxic to a lepidopteran pest, wherein the Cry protein comprises (a) an amino acid sequence that has at least 80% to at least 99% sequence identity with an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32 or SEQ ID NO: 42, or a toxin fragment thereof; or (b) an amino acid sequence that is encoded by a nucleotide sequence that has at least 80% to at least 99% sequence identity with a nucleotide sequence of any of SEQ ID NOs:2, 12, or 22, or a toxin-encoding fragment thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The Cry protein of  claim 9 , wherein the amino acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 42. 
     
     
         11 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An insecticidal composition comprising the Cry protein of  claim 9  and an agriculturally acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         15 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A recombinant vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         21 . A transgenic bacterial or plant cell comprising the recombinant vector of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 21 , wherein the plant cell is a) a dicot plant cell; or b) a monocot plant cell; or c) a dicot plant cell selected from the group consisting of a soybean cell, sunflower cell, tomato cell, cole crop cell, cotton cell, sugar beet cell and tobacco cell; or d) a monocot plant cell selected from the group consisting of a barley cell, maize cell, oat cell, rice cell, sorghum cell, sugar cane cell and wheat cell. 
     
     
         25 . A transgenic plant comprising the transgenic plant cell of  claim 24 , wherein the plant is a) a dicot plant; or b) a monocot plant; or c) a dicot plant selected from the group consisting of a soybean plant, sunflower plant, tomato plant, cole crop plant, cotton plant, sugar beet plant and a tobacco plant; or d) a monocot plant selected from the group consisting of a barley plant, maize plant, oat plant, rice plant, sorghum plant, sugar cane plant and a wheat plant. 
     
     
         26 . A transgenic seed of the transgenic plant of  claim 25 . 
     
     
         27 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of producing a Cry protein that is toxic to a lepidopteran pest comprising: culturing the transgenic cell of  claim 21  under conditions in which the transgenic cell produces the Cry protein. 
     
     
         32 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of producing an insect-resistant transgenic plant, comprising: introducing into a plant the chimeric gene of  claim 6 , wherein the Cry protein is expressed in the plant, thereby producing an insect-resistant transgenic plant. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the introducing step is achieved by a) transforming the plant; or b) crossing a first plant comprising the chimeric gene with a different second plant. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the plant is a maize plant. 
     
     
         39 . A method of controlling a lepidopteran pest, comprising delivering to the lepidopteran pest or an environment thereof a composition comprising an effective amount of the Cry protein of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         40 . A method of controlling a Cry1Ab-resistant lepidopteran insect comprising delivering to the insect an effective amount of an insecticidal protein having at least 80% identity to SEQ ID NO:32. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the Cry1Ab-resistant insect is sugarcane borer ( Diatraea saccharalis ). 
     
     
         42 .- 45 . (canceled)