The subject invention relates to the surprising discovery that toxin
complex (TC) proteins, obtainable from Xenorhabdus, Photorhabdus, and
Paenibacillus, can be used interchangeably with each other. In
particularly preferred embodiments of the subject invention, the toxicity
of a "stand-alone" TC protein (from Photorhabdus, Xenorhabdus, or
Paenibacillus, for example) is enhanced by one or more TC protein
"potentiators" derived from a source organism of a different genus from
which the toxin was derived. As one skilled in the art will recognize
with the benefit of this disclosure, this has broad implications and
expands the range of utility that individual types of TC proteins will
now be recognized to have. Among the most important advantages is that
one skilled in the art will now be able to use a single set of
potentiators to enhance the activity of a stand-alone Xenorhabdus protein
toxin as well as a stand-alone Photorhabdus protein toxin. (As one
skilled in the art knows, Xenorhabdus toxin proteins tend to be more
desirable for controlling lepidopterans while Photorhabdus toxin proteins
tend to be more desirable for controlling coleopterans.) This reduces the
number of genes, and transformation events, needed to be expressed by a
transgenic plant to achieve effective control of a wider spectrum of
target pests. Certain preferred combinations of heterologous TC proteins
are also disclosed herein. Other objects, advantages, and features of the
subject invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the
benefit of the subject disclosure.