Phaseolus vulgaris ISOLATED ALPHA AMILASE INHIBITORS MUTANTS WITH PROPERTIES FOR CONTROLING PEST INSECTS, COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING SUCH MUTANTS AND TRANSGENIC LINES

摘要

isolated alpha amylase inhibitor mutants isolated from phasoolus vulgaris with pest insect control properties, compositions containing such mutants and method of use thereof. The present invention relates to the field of pest insect control using methods and compositions comprising mutant alpha-amylase inhibitor analogues (α24). More specifically, the invention provides novel α-mutant analog molecules for the control of pest insects, particularly the cotton boll weevil (arnhonomus grandis), showing partial or total reduction in the amylolytic activity of digestive enzymes present in the intestinal lumen. Insect Also aspects of the invention are gene constructs containing nucleic acid molecules coding for alpha-amylase inhibitors, methods for heterologous expression of the new molecules in active form as well as their use in insect pest control. The invention also provides synthetic analog genes which are optimized for transformation and expression in plants.