Fusion proteins, recombinant bacteria, and exosporium fragments for pest control and plant health

1. A fusion protein comprising:

a targeting sequence, exosporium protein, or exosporium protein fragment that targets the fusion protein to the exosporium of a recombinant Bacillus cereus family member; and

an enzyme having serine protease activity, wherein the enzyme

comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO: 211 or SEQ ID NO: 212;

or a combination of any thereof.

2. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the targeting sequence comprises or consists of:

(a) an amino acid sequence having at least about 43% identity with amino acids 20-35 of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the identity with amino acids 25-35 is at least about 54%;

(b) amino acids 1-35 of SEQ ID NO: 1;

(c) amino acids 20-35 of SEQ ID NO: 1;

(d) SEQ ID NO: 1;

(e) SEQ ID NO: 96; or

(f) SEQ ID NO: 120.

3. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the targeting sequence comprises the sequence X 1 -X 2 -X 3 -X 4 -X 5 -X 6 -X 7 -X 8 -X 9 -X 10 -X 11 -X 12 -X 13 -X 14 -X 15 -X 16 , wherein:

X 1 is any amino acid or absent;

X 2 is phenylalanine (F), leucine (L), isoleucine (I), or methionine (M);

X 3 is any amino acid;

X 4 is proline (P) or serine (S);

X 5 is any amino acid;

X 6 is leucine (L), asparagine (N), serine (S), or isoleucine (I);

X 7 is valine (V) or isoleucine (I);

X 8 is glycine (G);

X 9 is proline (P);

X 10 is threonine (T) or proline (P);

X 11 is leucine (L) or phenylalanine (F);

X 12 is proline (P);

X 13 is any amino acid;

X 14 is any amino acid;

X 15 is proline (P), glutamine (Q), or threonine (T); and

X 16 is proline (P), threonine (T), or serine (S).

4. The fusion protein of claim 2 , wherein the targeting sequence, exosporium protein, or exosporium protein fragment further comprises a methionine, serine, or threonine residue at the amino acid position immediately preceding the first amino acid of the targeting sequence, exosporium protein, or exosporium protein fragment or at the position of the targeting sequence that corresponds to amino acid 20 of SEQ ID NO: 1.

5. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the fusion protein further comprises an amino acid linker between the targeting sequence, the exosporium protein, or the exosporium protein fragment and the enzyme having serine protease activity.

6. A recombinant Bacillus cereus family member that expresses a fusion protein of claim 1 .

7. The recombinant Bacillus cereus family member of claim 6 , wherein the recombinant Bacillus cereus family member comprises a mutation that results in the Bacillus cereus family member spores having an exosporium that is easier to remove from the spore as compared to the exosporium of a wild-type spore.

8. The recombinant Bacillus cereus family member of claim 7 , wherein the recombinant Bacillus cereus family member comprises:

(i) a mutation in a CotE gene;

(ii) a mutation in an ExsY gene;

(iii) a mutation in a CotY gene;

(iv) a mutation in a ExsA gene;

(v) a mutation in a CotO gene.

9. A fermentation product of the recombinant Bacilus cereus family member claim 6 .

10. Exosporium fragments derived from the recombinant Bacillus cereus family member of claim 7 , wherein the exosporium fragments comprise or consist of SEQ ID NO: 211 or SEQ ID NO: 212.

11. A formulation comprising the fermentation product of claim 9 and an agriculturally acceptable carrier.

12. A formulation comprising the exosporium fragments of claim 10 and an agriculturally acceptable carrier.

13. A plant seed treated with the formulation of claim 11 or claim 12 .

14. A method for stimulating plant growth and/or promoting plant health and/or controlling nematodes, comprising applying a recombinant Bacillus cereus family member of claim 6 to a plant growth medium, a plant, a plant seed, or an area surrounding a plant or a plant seed.

15. A method for stimulating plant growth and/or promoting plant health and/or controlling nematodes, comprising applying exosporium fragments of claim 7 to a plant growth medium, a plant, a plant seed, or an area surrounding a plant or a plant seed.