Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) trypsin inhibitors expressed in transgenic tobacco plants confer resistance against Spodoptera litura.

A sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Tainong 57) trypsin inhibitor gene was introduced into tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabaccum cv. W38) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens- mediated transformation. From 30 independent transformants, three lines with high level of expression were further analyzed. The trypsin inhibitor gene, under control of the 35S CaMV promoter, led to the production of the trypsin inhibitor proteins up to 0.2% of the total protein. In insecticidal bioassays of transgenic tobacco plants, larval, growth of Spodoptera litura (F.), the tobacco cutworm, was severely retarded as compared to their growth on control plants. This observation implied that expression of sweet potato trypsin inhibitor can provide an efficient method for crop protection.