Nicotiana benthamiana is a suitable transient system for high-level expression of an active inhibitor of cotton boll weevil α-amylase

Insect resistance in crops represents a main challenge for agriculture. Transgenic approaches based on proteins displaying insect resistance properties are widely used as efficient breeding strategies. To extend the spectrum of targeted pathogens and overtake the development of resistance, molecular evolution strategies have been used on genes encoding these proteins to generate thousands of variants with new or improved functions. The cotton...