Abstract: The growing controversy over GM/novel-trait crops and food products that possess novel industrial or nutritional traits, has resulted in an increased need for technologies that allow the rapid and reliable identification of GM/novel-trait crops so that they can be identified, and segregated if necessary, at the various stages of production and processing. A visual seed identity system is described that permits the identification and tracing of each individual seed through the upstream value chain, from field increase to the processing plant. These traits are genetically controlled, transmitted to progeny by either pollen or ovule and expressed in developing seed, showing a xenia effect. That novelty of this proposed IP system will facilitate early mitigation measures if out-crossing or admixtures occur and exceed a threshold limit set by regulatory agencies.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling insects of the Order Diptera by providing a Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof, or a spore or crystal of the Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof, and either contacting the insect with or administering to an animal the Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof, or the spore or crystal of the Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof; or applying the Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof, or the spore or crystal of Bacillus thuringiensis strain or variant thereof to an infested area. The Bacillus thuringiensis strain contains a plasmid carrying endotoxin genes for encoding delta-endotoxins Cry1A, Cry1B, Cry1F, Cry1H, Cry1I, Cry1K, Cry2 or a variant thereof. Preferably, the strain is Bacillus thuringiensis strain LRC3 deposited as ATCC PTA-6248. Methods for preparing the strain, spores, crystals, mutants, variants, and compositions incorporating same are described.

Abstract: T-DNA tagging with a promoterless &bgr;-glucuronidase (GUS) gene generated transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants that expressed GUS activity either only in developing seed coats, or constitutively. Cloning and deletion analysis of the GUS fusion revealed that the promoter responsible for seed coat specificity was located in the plant DNA proximal to the GUS gene. Analysis of the region demonstrated that the seed coat-specificity of GUS expression in this transgenic plant resulted from T-DNA insertion next to a cryptic promoter. This promoter is useful in controlling the expression of genes to the developing seed coat in plant seeds. Similarly, cloning and characterization of the cryptic constitutive promoter revealed the occurrence of several cryptic regulatory regions. These regions include promoter, negative regulatory elements, transcriptional enhancers, core promoter regions, and translational enhancers and other regulatory elements.