The present invention relates to cytolytic bi-component protein complexes consisting of a plurality of molecules of a member of the aegerolysin family and a plurality of molecules of a member of the MACPF superfamily, and particularly to their use for controlling a plant pest, such as for controlling Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) or Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). More specifically, the invention relates to cytolytic bi-component protein complexes formed by a plurality of molecules of one of the aegerolysins ostreolysin A6 (OlyA6), pleurotolysin A2 (PlyA2) and erylysin A (EryA) with a plurality of molecules of pleurotolysin B (PlyB) or similar proteins, which have been shown to be toxic for the aforementioned agricultural pest insects.

MPO1 and MPO2 can be regulated for either decreasing or increasing alkaloid levels in plants, in particular in Nicotiana plants. In particular, suppressing or overexpressing one or more of MPO1 and MPO2 may be used to decrease or increase nicotine and nicotinic alkaloid levels in tobacco plants. Suppression or overexpression of one or more of MPO1 and MPO2 may be used in combination with modification of expression of other genes encoding enzymes on the nicotinic alkaloid biosynthetic pathway such as A622, NBB1, PMT, and QPT.

DIG-305 insecticidal protein toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for using such toxins to control insect pests in plants, especial crop plants. Methods for preparing transgenic plants expressing the protein toxins and methods for detecting the claimed toxins and polynucleotides in transgenic plants are disclosed.

Disclosed are double stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules that are toxic to insect pests. In particular, interfering RNA molecules capable of modulating expression of a pest insect target gene and that are toxic to the insect pest are provided. Further, methods of making and using the interfering RNA, for example as the active ingredient in an insecticidal composition or in a transgenic plant, to confer protection from insect damage are disclosed.

Disclosed are double stranded RNA molecules that are toxic to hemipteran insects. In particular, interfering RNA molecules capable of interfering with pest target genes and that are toxic to the target pest are provided. Further, methods of making and using the interfering RNA, for example in transgenic plants or as the active ingredient in a composition, to confer protection from insect damage are disclosed.

Methods and compositions are provided which employ a silencing element that, when ingested by a plant insect pest, such as Coleopteran, Hemiptera, or Lepidopteran plant pest, including a Diabrotica, Leptinotarsa, Phyllotreta, Acyrthosiphan, Bemisia, Halyomorpha, Nezara, or Spodoptera plant pest, decrease the expression of a target sequence in the pest. Disclosed are various target polynucleotides set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-53 or 107-254 disclosed herein, or variants and fragments thereof, or complements thereof, wherein a decrease in expression of one or more of the sequences in the target pest controls the pest and pest population by insect sterilization (i.e., male and female sterility, reduction of sperm count, egg production and viability) and mating-based sterile insect technique (SIT). Plants, plant parts, bacteria and other host cells comprising the silencing elements or an active variant or fragment thereof of the invention are also provided. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Pesticidal proteins exhibiting toxic activity against Lepidopteran pest species are disclosed, and include, but are not limited to, TIC7941, TIC7941PL_1, TIC7941PL_2, and TIC7941PL_3. 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 TIC7941, TIC7941PL_1, TIC7941PL_2, and TIC7941PL_3 pesticidal proteins are also provided. Also disclosed are methods and compositions to improve the insecticidal activity of a pesticidal protein against an insect pest species. Further disclosed are method and compositions to reduce expression of a pesticidal protein in the reproductive tissues of a transgenic plant.

The invention relates to a Brassica plant in particular a Brassica oleracea plant comprising a genetic determinant, which when homozygously present confers high resistance against Thrips tabaci, and which is as found in plants grown from seeds of which a representative sample is deposited with the NCIMB under NCIMB accession number 41760. Preferably, the plant is homozygous for the genetic determinant and resistant against Thrips tabaci. The genetic determinant in the seeds of NCIMB deposit 41760 is located on chromosome 2 and linked to marker BO00200 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and/or marker BO00277 (SEQ ID NO: 2) and/or BO00602 (SEQ ID NO: 5).

Methods for conveying pathogen resistance into non-resistant soybean germplasm are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include introgressing pathogen resistance into a non-resistant soybean using one or more nucleic acid markers for marker-assisted breeding among soybean lines to be used in a soybean breeding program, wherein the markers are linked to and/or associated with pathogen resistance. Also provided are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with resistance to pathogens; soybean plants, seeds, and tissue cultures produced by any of the disclosed methods; seed produced by the disclosed soybean plants; and compositions including amplification primer pairs capable of initiating DNA polymerization by a DNA polymerase on soybean nucleic acid templates to generate soybean marker amplicons.

Pesticidal proteins exhibiting toxic activity against Coleopteran, Lepidopteran, Hemipteran, and Thysanopteran pest species are disclosed, and include, but are not limited to, TIC6280, TIC6281, TIC6282, TIC6283, TIC8808, TIC9480, TIC9257, TIC7106, TIC7017, TIC7107, TIC7108, TIC7109, TIC7110, TIC7111, TIC7589, TIC9258, and TIC9259. DNA constructs are provided which contain a recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding the pesticidal proteins provided. Transgenic plants, plant cells, seed, and plant parts resistant to Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Hemipteran and Thysanopteran infestation are provided which contain recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding the disclosed pesticidal proteins. Methods for detecting the presence of the recombinant nucleic acid sequences or the protein of the present invention in a biological sample, and methods of controlling Coleopteran, Lepidopteran, Hemipteran, and Thysanopteran species pests using the disclosed pesticidal proteins are also provided.