Biologically active proteins of viral origin

摘要

A polypeptide from the present invention provides insecticidal polypeptides from insect-infecting viruses, said polypeptides having an hydrophobic N-terminal region of a form characteristic of a signal sequence and a molecular weight of 8-14 kDa. Preferred polypeptides have an amino acid sequence according to the following formula: X25-50CX5GX5-10CX5-12GCX1-15 wherein, in each instance, X represents an amino acid sequence consisting of the particular number of residues indicated. Compositions comprising the polypeptides and transgenic plants expressing the polypeptides are also disclosed.