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 nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

As disclosed herein, optimal native genomic loci of soybean plants have been identified that represent best sites for targeted insertion of exogenous sequences.

Disclosed herein are methods of controlling insect pests, in particular Leptinotarsa spp. which infest crop plants, and methods of providing plants resistant to such pests. Also disclosed are polynucleotides and recombinant DNA molecules and constructs useful in such methods, insecticidal compositions such as topical sprays containing insecticidal double-stranded RNAs, and solanaceous plants with improved resistance to infestation by Leptinotarsa spp. Further disclosed are methods of selecting target genes for RNAi-mediated silencing and control of Leptinotarsa spp.

Pesticidal proteins exhibiting toxic activity against Lepidopteran pest species are disclosed, and include, but are not limited to, TIC6757, TIC6757PL, TIC7472, TIC7472PL, TIC7473, and TIC7473PL. DNA constructs are provided which contain a recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding one or more of the disclosed pesticidal proteins. Transgenic plants, plant cells, seed, and plant parts resistant to Lepidopteran infestation are provided which contain recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding the pesticidal proteins of the present invention. Methods for detecting the presence of the recombinant nucleic acid sequences or the proteins of the present invention in a biological sample, and methods of controlling Lepidopteran species pests using any of the TIC6757, TIC6757PL, TIC7472, TIC7472PL, TIC7473, and TIC7473PL pesticidal proteins are also provided.

Disclosed herein are methods of controlling insect pests which infest crop plants, in particular Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm), Lygus hesperus (western tarnished plant bug), Euschistus heros (neotropical brown stink bug), and Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth), and methods of providing plants resistant to such pests. Also disclosed are polynucleotides and recombinant DNA molecules and constructs useful in such methods, insecticidal compositions such as topical sprays containing insecticidal double-stranded RNAs, and plants with improved resistance to infestation by these insects. Further disclosed are methods of selecting target genes for RNAi-mediated silencing and control of these insect pests.

As disclosed herein, optimal native genomic loci of soybean plants have been identified that represent best sites for targeted insertion of exogenous sequences.

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 nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Disclosed herein are methods for controlling invertebrate pest infestations, particularly in plants; compositions and insecticidal polynucleotides useful in such methods; and plants having improved resistance to the invertebrate pests. More specifically, insecticidal polynucleotides and methods of use thereof for modifying the expression of genes in an insect pest, particularly through RNA interference are disclosed.

The present invention is directed to the vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vips) modified to comprise heterologous bacterial carbohydrate binding modules and the methods of use thereof. Expression of modified proteins resulted in variations to activity against lepidopteran pest species of agricultural importance such as Corn earworm and Fall armyworm conveying broad spectrum insect control.

Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a toxin polypeptide are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated toxin nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed, and antibodies specifically binding to those amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, as well as variants and fragments thereof.