# US 12,108,766 B2 · Use of a structural polypeptide for plant coating > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,108,766 B2 - Document ID: US12108766B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/263,499 - Filed: 2019-08-07 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-17 - Assignees: Amsilk GmbH - Applicants: Amsilk GmbH - Inventors: Jens Klein; Lin Römer; Andreas Schmideder; Katharina Sturm - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108766B2 ## CPC - A01N 37/46: N-acyl derivatives - A01N 63/50: Isolated enzymes; Isolated proteins (peptides A01N37/46) - A01C 1/06: Coating or dressing seed - A01G 7/06: Treatment of growing trees or plants, e.g. for preventing decay of wood, for tingeing flowers or wood, for prolonging the life of plants - A01P 7/00: Arthropodicides - A01P 9/00: Molluscicides - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - A01P: BIOCIDAL, PEST REPELLANT, PEST ATTRACTANT OR PLANT GROWTH REGULATORY ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR PREPARATIONS ## Abstract The present application relates to the use of a structural polypeptide such as silk derived polypeptide (preferably spider web derived polypeptide) for coating seed, plant, or plant part, preferably to protect against pest infestation. The present application further relates to a method for plant coating or plant seed coating and to a plant or plant seed coated with a structural polypeptide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for protecting a plant from pest infestation and promoting plant vitality, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a formulation comprising a silk polypeptide in a concentration of between 0.8% (w/w) and 5% (w/w), and (ii) applying the formulation to the surface of a live plant exposed to pests to form a homogeneous and uniform coating comprising the silk polypeptide having a thickness of between 10 nm and 1 mm on the plant, wherein the coating protects the plant from pest infestation, thereby promoting plant vitality. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating covers at least 50% of the surface of the sprout(s) of the plant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating is achieved by spray coating and/or dip coating. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation is selected from the group consisting of powder, a (hydro)gel, solution, suspension, and dispersion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation comprises a solvent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of water (H2O), an aqueous buffer, and an organic solvent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation comprises the silk polypeptide in a concentration of between 0.001% (w/w) and 30% (w/w). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation provided in step (i) further comprises one or more compounds. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of applying one or more compounds to the coating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of mordant, mordant comprising pesticides, seed/plant dressing, seed/plant dressing comprising pesticides, seed/plant pickle, seed/plant pickle comprising pesticides, dyestuffs, odoriferous substances, sunscreens, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, growth factors, and nutrients. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of drying the coating of the plant or plant seed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating allows fixation of one or more compounds onto the plant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pests are insects, mites, nematodes, slugs, snails, protozoa, bacteria, fungi, or viruses. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the silk polypeptide is a spider silk polypeptide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is a crop or a decorative plant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein (i) the crop is selected from the group consisting of a fruit tree, cereal, legume, sweet small-plant fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, an oil producing plant, and a commodity plant, or (ii) the decorative plant is selected from the group consisting of a foliage plant, blooming plant, and carnivorous plant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration is between 1% (w/w) and 2% (w/w). ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness is between 50 nm and 0.5 μm.