The subject invention concerns materials and methods useful in the control of pests and, particularly, plant pests. More specifically, the subject invention provides new, plant-optimized polynucleotide sequences that encode pesticidal toxins. The polynucleotide sequences of the subject invention have certain modifications, compared to wild-type sequences, that make them particularly well-suited for optimized expression in plants. Using the polynucleotide sequences described herein, the transformation of plants can be accomplished, using techniques known to those skilled in the art, in order to confer pest resistance upon said plants. In preferred embodiments, the subject invention provides plant-opimized polynucleotide sequences which encode toxin proteins that can be referred to as cytC-type toxins. A preferred toxin encoded by a plant-optimized gene is also disclosed.
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