This invention provides modified, insecticidal Cry35 proteins with enhanced properties as compared to wild-type Cry35 proteins. The modifications to these proteins were based in part on analysis of the atomic coordinates and three-dimensional (3D) structure of the .about.45 kDa 149B1 protein and other proteins in the Cry35 class. The subject invention also includes polynucleotides that encode these modified proteins, and transgenic plants that produce these modified proteins. This invention further provides methods of controlling plant pests, including rootworms, with these modified proteins. The modified proteins of the subject invention include chimeric toxins involving exchanged segments, domains, and motifs as discussed herein. The subject invention also provides methods of modifying Cry35 proteins.