Patent ID: 6875569

Claim:
A method for modulating the transcription of exogenous nucleic acid(s) in an isolated cell containing: (i) a nucleic acid construct comprising a promoter and said exogenous nucleic acid(s) under the control of a regulatory element; and (ii) a receptor peptide comprising a hinge region of a lepidopteran receptor bounded by a ligand binding domain not normally present in the host cell and a DNA binding domain such that the receptor peptide, upon binding exogenous ligand, binds to a regulatory element and activates transcription, wherein said hinge region has more than 80% sequence identity with amino acid residues 273-299 of SEQ ID NO:3 and promotes association of the receptor peptide with an endogenous nuclear receptor, said method comprising providing to said isolated cell an amount of ligand effective to modulate the transcription of said exogenous nucleic acid(s); wherein said ligand is not normally present in said isolated cell.