RESUMO
The knowledge of the relationship between sequence characteristics of insecticidal crystal proteins (ICP) and their inhibitory against Plutella xylostella provided helpful information for the rational design of ICP with desirable activity against Plutella xylostella. The four key loops of ICP with determined activities against Plutella xylostella were selected to study the quantitative relationship between sequence characteristics and insecticidal activity. The first principle components' score vectors for 20 amino acids were assigned to converting amino acids into data. The six key sites X3, X9, X12, X13, X14 and X19 were predicted by stepwise regression method. The amino acids L/ X3, S/ X9, S/ X12, T/ X13, A/ X14 and G/ X19 found by partial least squares regression and second order polynomial models were predicted to increase the activity of ICP against Plutella xylostella.