NOVEL THIOL PROTEASE INHIBITOR

摘要

A novel inhibitor peptide (designated virgiferin) of thiol proteases is isolated from Diabrotica virgifera. The DNA encoding virgiferin and modified virgiferin peptides are claimed. These sequences may be cloned into vectors and used to transform plants thus conferring reduced susceptibility to damage by plant pests that have thiol proteases as digestive enzymes including insects and nematodes and particularly Coleopteran insects.