New Delhi– In a groundbreaking development, a team of U.S. scientists has converted a deadly fungus into a potential cancer-fighting agent, offering new hope in the battle against leukemia.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science discovered and modified a new class of molecules from Aspergillus flavus—a highly toxic fungus historically associated with deaths linked to ancient tomb excavations. The result is a potent anti-cancer compound that rivals existing FDA-approved therapies, according to a new study published in Nature Chemical Biology.
“Fungi gave us penicillin. These results show that many more life-saving medicines derived from natural sources are still waiting to be discovered,” said Sherry Gao, senior author of the study and Presidential Penn Compact Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE).
The newly identified compounds belong to a class known as RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides). These molecules are initially produced by the ribosome—the cell’s protein-making machinery—and then chemically altered to enhance their therapeutic properties.
“Purifying these chemicals is notoriously challenging,” said Qiuyue Nie, lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at Penn. “But that complexity is what gives them their remarkable bioactivity.”
While thousands of RiPPs have been discovered in bacteria, only a handful have been found in fungi, largely due to misidentification and limited understanding of fungal biosynthetic processes. This study marks a major leap in fungal RiPP research.
The researchers examined multiple Aspergillus strains and zeroed in on A. flavus as a promising source of novel RiPPs. Genetic analysis identified a specific protein responsible for producing these compounds. When the gene responsible for the protein was deactivated, the production of RiPPs ceased, confirming its role in the biosynthesis pathway.
This dual approach—combining genetic and metabolic data—enabled the team to not only isolate these compounds, now dubbed “asperigimycins,” but also develop a roadmap for discovering more fungal RiPPs in the future.
Importantly, the modified asperigimycins showed strong cancer-killing effects against leukemia cells while demonstrating minimal impact on breast, liver, and lung cancer cells, as well as on various bacteria and fungi. This selective toxicity is a key trait for any future cancer therapy.
The researchers plan to move into animal testing next, with the ultimate goal of advancing to human clinical trials. (Source: IANS)
