Insecticidal compounds and methods for selection thereof
A series of potent and highly specific insecticidal toxins characterized by an amino acid sequences SEQ ID NO: 2-35.
1. An isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a signal sequence linked to a propeptide sequence linked to a mature toxin sequence wherein said polypeptide is selected from any of SEQ ID NO: 2-35.
2. An isolated nucleic acid according to claim 1 which is DNA.
3. A cloning vector comprising a promoter operationally linked to the DNA of claim 2 and optionally other regulatory elements which enhance expression.
4. A cloning vector comprising the DNA according to claim 2 .
5. A recombinant baculovirus or other insect specific virus comprising a vector according to claim 4 .
6. An isolated recombinant cell comprising a vector according to claim 4 .
7. An isolated recombinant comprising a vector according to claim 4 wherein the cell is a plant cell.
8. An isolated recombinant cell comprising a vector according to claim 4 wherein the cell is a prokaryotic cell.
9. An expression cassette comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide comprising a signal sequence linked to a propeptide sequence linked to a mature toxin sequence wherein said polypeptide is selected from any of SEQ ID NO: 2-35.
10. A nucleotide sequence which codes for a toxin having inhibitory activity at insect calcium channels wherein said nucleotide sequence codes for a peptide comprising a signal sequence, a propeptide sequence and a mature toxin sequence selected from any of SEQ ID NO: 2-35.
11. A microorganism transformed with a nucleotide sequence of claim 1 .
12. A method for producing a polypeptide toxin of SEQ ID NO: 2-35 comprising the steps of (a) providing an isolated nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide encoding a polypeptide toxin comprising a signal sequence linked to a propeptide sequence linked to a mature toxin sequence wherein said polypeptide is selected from SEQ ID NO: 2-35, (b) expressing said nucleic acid in a cell; and (c) isolating said polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid is DNA.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid is disposed within a vector comprising a promoter operationally linked to the DNA, and optionally other regulatory elements which enhance expression.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the vector comprises a viral vector, a recombinant baculovirus, or other insect specific virus vector.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cell comprises a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide toxin comprising a signal sequence linked to a propeptide sequence linked to a mature toxin sequence wherein said of testicle is selected from SEQ ID NO: 2-35 which is disposed within a nucleic acid vector.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the cell is a eukaryotic cell.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the cell is a prokaryotic cell.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the isolated nucleic acid is further disposed within an expression cassette.
20. An isolated nucleic acid wherein said nucleic acid sequence encodes amino acid residues 1-101 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 29.
21. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 , encoding a polypeptide comprising a peptide comprising a signal sequence, linked to a propeptide sequence, linked to a mature toxin sequence wherein said peptide has inhibitory activity at insect calcium channels with a greater than 100-fold selectivity against insect calcium channels when compared to vertebrate calcium channels.