IP Library Granted Patent US 12,703,724
Granted Patent B2
US 12,703,724 · App. 18/463,364 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Insecticidal proteins from plants and methods for their use

Inventors: Jennifer Kara Barry (Ames, IA); Hua Dong (Johnston, IA); Ryan Michael Gerber (Apex, NC); Brooke Peterson-Burch (Ankeny, IA); Eric Schepers (Port Deposit, MD); Thomas Chad Wolfe (Des Moines, IA); Weiping Xie (East Palo Alto, CA); Nasser Yalpani (Kelowna, CA); Xiaohong Zhong (San Leandro, CA)
Assignee: PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL, INC.
C07K14/415A01N65/00A01P7/04C12N15/8286C07K2319/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,703,724
App. No.
18/463,364
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, Hemipteran and/or nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Claims (16)

1 . A plant comprising a recombinant insecticidal polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.

2 . The plant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.

3 . The plant of claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide has insecticidal activity against a Lepidopteran agricultural pest.

4 . An agricultural composition comprising at least one recombinant insecticidal polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3 and an agriculturally acceptable carrier.

5 . A DNA construct comprising a heterologous regulatory element and a recombinant polynucleotide encoding an insecticidal polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.

6 . A transgenic plant comprising the DNA construct of claim 5 .

7 . A method of inhibiting growth or killing an insect pest or pest population, comprising providing in the diet of the pest the plant of claim 1 , or a part thereof.

8 . A method of inhibiting growth or killing an insect pest or pest population comprising expressing in a plant the DNA construct of claim 5 .

9 . A method of controlling Lepidoptera insect infestation in a transgenic plant and promoting insect resistance management, comprising expressing in the plant of claim 1 at least one additional insecticidal protein having a different mode of action.

10 . A method for controlling pest infestation comprising providing in the diet of the pest the transgenic plant of claim 6 , or a part thereof.

11 . A method for improving the yield of a crop comprising growing the transgenic plant of claim 6 , wherein the yield of the crop is increased in the presence of the insect pest relative to the crop not comprising said transgenic plant.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the insect pest or pest population is resistant to at least one Cry insecticidal protein.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the transgenic plant is selected from corn, soybean, wheat, rice, sorghum, sunflower, canola, barley, sugarcane, potatoes, tomatoes, cotton, rape seed, peanut, and alfalfa.

14 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the insect pest or insect pest population is an agriculturally important species in the Order Lepidoptera.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the insect pest or insect pest population is selected from corn earworm, European corn borer, fall armyworm, soybean looper, velvet bean caterpillar, and diamondback moth.

16 . A host cell transformed with the DNA construct of claim 5 .