Patent ID: 7339092

Claim:
A method for protecting a plant from an insect pest, said method comprising introducing into said plant at least one polynucleotide construct that comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding Bacillus thuringiensis Cry8Bb1 protoxin operably linked to a promoter that drives expression in said plant, wherein said Cry8Bb1 protoxin has at least one proteolytic activation site that has been engineered to comprise a cleavage site that is sensitive to a plant protease that is present within said plant, wherein said proteolytic activation site comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:6, wherein expression of said polynucleotide construct produces said Cry8Bb1 protoxin in said plant, wherein cleavage of said Cry8Bb1 protoxin by said plant protease produces an active Cry8Bb1 toxin, and wherein said active Cry8Bb1 toxin protects said plant from said insect pest.