Novel genes encoding insecticidal proteins

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel gene sequences encoding insecticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis strains. Particularly, new chimeric genes encoding a Cry1C, Cry1B or Cry1D protein are provided which are useful to protect plants from insect damage. Also included herein are plant cells or plants comprising such genes and methods of making or using them, as well as plant cells or plants comprising one of such chimeric gene and at least one other of such chimeric genes.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates to new gene sequences encoding insecticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis strains. Particularly, new chimeric genes encoding a Cry1C protein are provided which are useful to protect plants from insect damage. Also included herein are plant cells or plants comprising such genes and methods of making or using them, as well as plant cells or plants comprising such cry1C chimeric gene and at least one other gene encoding an insecticidal protein, such as new gene sequences encoding a Cry1B or Cry1D protein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Strain and proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (abbreviated herein as “Bt”) are well known for their specific toxicity to insect pests, and they have been used since almost a century to control Insect pests. Some transgenic plant species expressing Bt proteins are now available, and they successfully limit insect damage on plants. Despite the isolation of quite a number of insecticidal Bt protei...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]In one embodiment, the current invention also provides a combination of technologies to allow for the most optimal product from a resistance management point of view. Indeed, in one embodiment of this invention the plants of the invention produce at least 2 different Bt proteins and such proteins are encoded by the highly-expressed cry genes of the invention which have been stably integrated, preferably at a single locus in the plant's genome. In one embodiment of the invention, such at least 2 Bt genes include a cry1C and a cry1B gene, a cry1C and a cry1D gene, or a combination of a cry1C, a cry1B and a cry1D gene of this invention. In one embodiment of the invention a marker gene allowing rapid identification of transgenic plants, preferably a herbicide resistance gene, is located in the same plant, particularly at the same locus in the plant's genome as a cry gene of the invention. In one embodiment of this invention, the marker gene is a gene encoding a phosphinothricin acetyltransferase or a glyphosate-insensitive EPSPS.

[0008]Also, the current invention provides novel genes encoding an insecticidal protein comprising a functional plant intron in their coding sequence. The presence of the intron also secures that the gene does not express a functional protein when the gene is in an environment where the intron cannot be spliced, such as a bacteria or another prokaryotic microorganism. The presence of this intron in the gene sequence also allows for high expression levels to be obtained in plants.

Problems solved by technology

(2003) have described transgenic broccoli plants expressing a Cry1Ac or a Cry1C Bt toxin, as well as crosses between these plants so that both the Cry1Ac and Cry1C toxins are expressed in the same plants, but these plants have not been commercialized.