A selective insecticidal protein from Pseudomonas for controlling corn rootworms

Schellenberger U; Oral J; Rosen BA; Wei JZ; Zhu GH; Xie WP; McDonald MJ; Cerf DC; Diehn SH; Crane VC; Sandahl GA; Zhao JZ; Nowatzki TM; Sethi A; Liu L; Pan ZQ; Wang YW; Lu AL; Wu GS; Liu L

Science, Vol.354, No.6312, 634-637, 2016

DOI10.1126/science.aaf6056 Export Citation

A selective insecticidal protein from Pseudomonas for controlling corn rootworms

Schellenberger U, Oral J, Rosen BA, Wei JZ, Zhu GH, Xie WP, McDonald MJ, Cerf DC, Diehn SH, Crane VC, Sandahl GA, Zhao JZ, Nowatzki TM, Sethi A, Liu L, Pan ZQ, Wang YW, Lu AL, Wu GS, Liu L

The coleopteran insect western corn rootworm (WCR) (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is a devastating crop pest in North America and Europe. Although crop plants that produce Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins can limit insect infestation, some insect populations have evolved resistance to Bt proteins. Here we describe an insecticidal protein, designated IPD072Aa, that is isolated from Pseudomonas chlororaphis. Transgenic corn plants expressing IPD072Aa show protection from WCR insect injury under field conditions. IPD072Aa leaves several lepidopteran and hemipteran insect species unaffected but is effective in killing WCR larvae that are resistant to Bt proteins produced by currently available transgenic corn. IPD072Aa can be used to protect corn crops against WCRs.