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Insecticidal effects of three plant-derived genes, those encoding snowdrop lectin (GNA), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) chitinase (BCH) and wheat α-amylase (WAI), were investigated and compared with effects of the cowpea trypsin inhibitor gene (CpTI). Transgenic potato plants containing each of the three genes singly, and in pairwise combinations were produced. All the introduced genes were driven by the CaMV 35S promoter; expression was readily detectable at the RNA level in transformants, but not detectable accumulation of WAI could be detected in transgenic potatoes containing its encoding gene. GNA and BCH were accumulated at levels up to 2.0% of total soluble protein; both proteins were expressed in a functional form, and GNA was shown to undergo 'correct' N-terminal processing. Accumulation levels of individual proteins were higher in plants containing a single foreign gene than in plants containing two foreign genes.