The present invention discloses a polynucleotide sequence for an insect salivary glucose oxidase enzyme and the amino acid sequence of the enzyme itself. It also provides recombinant polynucleotide vector systems designed to express the enzyme in a variety of host organisms. The invention also discloses a method for creating transgenic plants having increased resistance to insect predation resulting from the expression of the foreign glucose oxidase protein. The presence of the insect glucose oxidase enzyme triggers a plant's defensive mechanisms and results in increased resistance to insects.