Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants. In one such method, the homozygous recessive condition of male sterility causing alleles is maintained after crossing with a second plant, where the second plant contains a restoring transgene construct having a nucleotide sequence which reverses the homozygous condition. The restoring sequence is linked with a hemizygous sequence encoding a product inhibiting formation or function of male gametes. The maintainer plant produces only viable male gametes which do not contain the restoring transgene construct. Increase of the maintainer plant is also provided by self-fertilization, and selection for seed or plants which contain the construct.

Nucleotide sequences mediating plant male fertility and method of using same

An improved Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) delta-endotoxin is created by the modification of the gene encoding the toxin. The toxicity of a B.t. toxin was improved by replacing the native protoxin segment with an alternate protoxin segment by constructing a chimeric toxin gene.

Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin

This invention provides methods of obtaining pest resistance genes that are improved over naturally occurring genes for use in conferring upon plants resistance to pests. The methods involve the use of DNA shuffling of pest resistance genes to produce libraries of recombinant pest resistance genes, which are then screened to identify those that exhibit the improved property or properties of interest.

Optimization of pest resistance genes using dna shuffling

The subject invention concerns materials and methods useful in the control of non-mammalian pests and, particularly, plant pests. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention provides new Bacillus thuringiensis toxins useful for the ocntrol of lepidopterans. The subject invention further provides nucleotide sequences which encode the toxins of the subject invention. The nucleotide sequences of the subject invention can be used to transform hosts, such as plants, to express the pesticidal toxins of the subject invention. The subject invention further concerns novel nucleotide primers for the identification of genes encoding toxins active against pests. The primers are useful in PCR techniques to produce gene fragments which are characteristic of genes encoding these toxins. The primers are also useful as nucleotide probes to detect the toxin-encoding genes.

Toxins active against pests

A novel antibiotic-producing Bacillus sp. is provided that exhibits antifungal activity only on certain specific plant pathogens and no antibacterial activity is provided by this invention as well as a biologically pure culture of a strain having all the identifying characteristics of this strain. Also provided is a method of treating or protecting plants, fruit and roots from fungal infections by applying an effective amount of these strains, supernatants produced by these strains or a metabolite isolated from these strains.

Strain of bacillus for controlling plant diseases

Recombinant plasmids containing the larvicidal delta-endotoxin gene were constructed by inserting HindIII fragments of the Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis 72-75 Md plasmid into the Escherichia coli vector pUC12. Two recombinants producing a 27-kdal toxin (pIP173 and pIP174) were indentified by screening clones in an E. coli in vitro transcription-translation system. Both recombinants comprised pUC12 and common 9.7 kb HindIII fragment of the B. thuringiensis plasmid. The 27,340 Da polypeptide synthesized in vito from pIP174 transformed into E. coli JM101 and from B. subtilis 168 and spoOJ87 containing the 1.2 kb TaqI fragment from pIP173 was lethal to mosquito larvae.

Gene coding for insecticidal crystal protein

Novel DNA fragments coding for insecticidal proteins and the use of such proteins in combating insects, particularly mosquitos, are described. Chimeric genes containing the novel DNA fragments and bacteria, tissues, seeds and plants incorporating the fragments are also discussed.

David John Ellar

Papers

Gene coding for insecticidal crystal protein

New toxin-encoding dna fragments from bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

Toxin-encoding nucleic acid fragments derived from a Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis gene

Fragments d'AdN codant la toxine de Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis