While at Monsanto
Potentiation of Bacillus thuringiensis Insecticidal Activity by Serine
Protease Inhibitors
Several serine protease inhibitors enhanced the insecticidal activity of the insect control proteins
from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, var. tenebrionis, and var. israelensis against their target
insects, tobacco budworm and other lepid
opterans, Colorado potato beetle, and mosquito, respectively.
B. thuringiensis protein concentrations, at levels causing minimal insect mortality (10-20%),
were mixed with purified protease inhibitors and assayed against the appropriate target insects. The
presence of extremely low levels (4 FM) of protease inhibitors enhanced the insecticidal activity of B.
thuringiensis var. kurstaki by 2-20-fold. Protease inhibitors also potentiated the insect growth inhibitory activity of sublethal B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki protein concentrations. Genetically improved tobacco plants expressing a protease inhibitor fused to a truncated B. thuringiensis insect control protein showed levels of activity enhancement similar to those seen with purified protease inhibitors.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/1990/38/i04/f-pdf/f_jf00094a051.pdf?sessid=6006l3
Insect Tolerant Transgenic Tomato Plants
http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v5/n8/abs/nbt0887-807.html
Bio/Technology 5, 807 - 813 (1987)
doi:10.1038/nbt0887-807
Insect Tolerant Transgenic Tomato Plants
Monsanto Co., 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, St. Louis, MO 63198.
Present address: Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA.
Present address: Plant Gene Expression Center, USDA-ARS, Albany, CA.
The structure of an insect control protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD−1 was determined, and truncated forms of the gene that express a functional insecticidal protein were generated. Two of these truncated genes were incorporated into a plant expression vector for Agrobacterium−mediated transformation. Transgenic tomato plants containing the chimeric genes express the insect control protein gene. Such expression confers tolerance to lepidopteran larvae on the transgenic tomato plants and their progeny. These engineered tomato plants represent a significant step to increased selectivity, specificity and efficiency in insect control.
Bio/Technologyhttp://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v7/n12/abs/nbt1289-1265.html
Field Performance of Transgenic Tomato Plants Expressing the Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Insect Control Protein
Monsanto Co., 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, St. Louis, MO 63198.
BHN Research, 16750 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs, Florida 33923.Transgenic tomato plants expressing a lepidopteran-specific insect control protein from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 (B.t.k.) were field tested in 1987 and 1988 to evaluate their efficacy under normal field conditions. When infested with eggs of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), the transgenic plants showed only very limited feeding damage on the leaves near the inoculated sites soon after the larvae hatched, and sustained no further damage. In contrast, nontransgenic control plants suffered heavy feeding damage and were almost completely defoliated within two weeks. Significant control of tomato fruitworm (Heliothis zea) and tomato pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicella) was also observed. These results demonstrate that transgenic tomato plants containing a gene encoding a B.t.k. protein can provide control of lepidopteran insect pests under field conditions.
Field Performance of Transgenic Tomato Plants Expressing the Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Insect Control Protein
Characterization of the Coleopteran−Specific Protein Gene of Bacillus thuringiensis Var. tenebrionis
Bio/Technology 6, 61 - 66 (1988)
doi:10.1038/nbt0188-61
Characterization of the Coleopteran−Specific Protein Gene of Bacillus thuringiensis Var. tenebrionis
Sylvia A. McPherson1, Frederick J. Perlak1, *, Roy L. Fuchs1, Pamela G. Marrone1, Paul B. Lavrik1 & David A. Fischhoff1
Monsanto Co., 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, St. Louis, MO 63198.
The gene encoding the coleopteran−specific insect control protein from Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis was isolated and characterized. When expressed in either E. coli or P. fluorescens the gene directs the production of biologically active insect control protein that is lethal to Colorado potato beetle. The gene contains two functional translational initiation codons in the same reading frame leading to the production of both the full length protein and an N−terminal truncated form. The gene has been engineered to produce each of these two proteins separately, and each is active against Colorado potato beetle. Native crystals from B.t. var. tenebrionis were found to contain five distinct proteins derived from this single gene either as primary translation products or the result of proteolysis. Comparison of this gene to a lepidopteran−specific B.t. gene revealed only limited regions of homology.
Strain of bacillus for controlling plant diseases and corn rootworm
Document Type and Number:
United States Patent 6291426
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a novel antibiotic-producing and metabolite-producing Bacillus subtilis strain that exhibits insecticidal, antifungal and antibacterial activity. The supernatant of this novel strain contains effective insecticidal, antifungal and antibacterial agents. Also included in the invention is a solvent extractable, small molecular weight (<10,000 daltons) corn rootworm-active metabolite produced in the supernatant. Also included in the invention are methods of protecting or treating plants from fungal and bacterial infections and corn rootworm infestations comprising the step of applying to the plant an effective amount of the antibiotic/metabolite-producing novel Bacillus subtilis strain, the antibiotic/metabolite produced by the novel Bacillus subtilis strain or a combination thereof, optionally further comprising another antibiotic-producing bacterial strain and/or a chemical pesticide. The invention also includes methods of preventing or treating fungal and bacterial infections using whole broth cultures or supernatants obtained from cultures of the novel Bacillus subtilis strain alone or in combination with chemical pesticides and/or other biocontrol agents. The invention also includes novel antifungal and antibacterial compounds designated agrastatins and a novel combination comprising an A-type iturin, a plipastatin, a surfactin and an agrastatin. Methods of treating or protecting plants from fungal and bacterial infections and corn rootworm infestations comprising administering the novel agrastatins and the novel combination comprising an A-type iturin, a plipastatin, a surfactin and an agrastatin are provided.
Application Number: 09/312314
Publication Date: 09/18/2001
Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests
Document Type and Number:
United States Patent 6638910
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a novel antibiotic-producing and metabolite-producing Bacillus subtilis strain that exhibits insecticidal, antifungal and antibacterial activity. The supernatant of this novel strain contains effective insecticidal, antifungal and antibacterial agents. Also included in the invention is a solvent extractable, small molecular weight (<10,000 daltons) corn rootworm-active metabolite produced in the supernatant. Also included in the invention are methods of protecting or treating plants from fungal and bacterial infections and corn rootworm infestations comprising the step of applying to the plant an effective amount of the antibiotic/metabolite-producing novel Bacillus subtilis strain, the antibiotic/metabolite produced by the novel Bacillus subtilis strain or a combination thereof, optionally further comprising another antibiotic-producing bacterial strain and/or a chemical pesticide. The invention also includes methods of preventing or treating fungal and bacterial infections using whole broth cultures or supernatants obtained from cultures of the novel Bacillus subtilis stain alone or in combination with chemical pesticides and/or other biocontrol agents. The invention also includes novel antifungal and antibacterial compounds designated agrastatins and a novel combination comprising an A-type iturin, a plipastatin, a surfactin and an agrastatin. Methods of treating or protecting plants from fungal and bacterial infections and corn rootworm infestations comprising administering the novel agrastatins and the novel combination comprising an A-type iturin, a plipastatin, a surfactin and an agrastatin are provided. Further provided is a lipopeptide extract isolated from strain AQ713 with insecticidal activity and a surfactin lipopeptide isolated from strain AQ713 with insecticidal activity.
Application Number: 09/994234
Publication Date: 10/28/2003
Antibiotic-producing strain of bacillus and methods for controlling plant diseases
Document Type and Number:
United States Patent 5753222
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a novel strain antibiotic-producing Bacillus subtilis which is effective against plant fungal and bacterial infections. The invention also includes methods of protecting plants from fungal and bacterial infections comprising the step of applying to the plant an effective amount of the antibiotic-producing Bacillus subtilis, the antibiotic produced by the antibiotic-producing Bacillus subtilis or a combination thereof, optionally further comprising another antibiotic-producing bacterial strain and/or a chemical pesticide. The invention includes methods of treating fungal and bacterial infections using whole broth cultures or supernatants obtained from cultures of antibiotic-producing Bacillus subtilis cultures. The invention also includes treating plant infections using a combination of whole broth and/or supernatant obtained from the antibiotic-producing strain of Bacillus subtilis optionally in combination with chemical pesticides. Also provided is the novel bacterial strain and the antibiotic produced by the novel strain.
Application Number: 08/746893
Publication Date: 05/19/1998
Compositions comprising EMU oil or active fractions thereof and methods of using these compositions as insect repellents
Document Type and Number:
United States Patent 5929113
Abstract:
This invention provides a method for repelling biting insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies by topically applying to the skin of a subject emu oil, fractions of emu oil obtained by flash chromatography or a composition comprising emu oil or active fractions thereof and at least one other insect repellent such as citronella, DEET or saponin. Also provided are compositions for repelling biting insects comprising diluted fractions of emu oil, and compositions comprising emu oil or active fractions thereof and at least one other insect repellent such as citronella, DEET or saponin.
Inventors:
Manker, Denise C. (Davis, CA)
Marrone, Pamela Gail (Davis, CA)
Judd, Stephen (Davis, CA)
Application Number:08/876268
Publication Date:07/27/1999
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5929113.html
Biological control of plant fungal infections
Document Type and Number:
United States Patent 6004774
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a unique strain of Bacillus subtilis for inhibiting growth of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria and methods for treating or protecting plants from fingal and bacterial infections.
Inventors:
Marrone, Pamela Gail (Davis, CA)
Heins, Sherry D. (Davis, CA)
Manker, Denise C. (Davis, CA)
Jimenez, Desmond R. (Woodland, CA)
Bestwick, Richard K. (Portland, OR)
Vandemark, George J. (Prosser, WA)
Application Number:09/199871
Publication Date:12/21/1999
Filing Date:11/25/1998
