NEW BACTERIA JUST DROPPED

Promising New Bacterial Compound Named After Keanu Reeves, Naturally

The newly discovered active ingredient from bacteria could protect crops, guard against fungi that are dangerous to humans, and be an environmentally friendly swap for pesticides.

Scientists have discovered a bacterial compound that could benefit both plants and humans—and they’ve named it Keanu Reeves, naturally. The newly discovered natural product group of keanumycins found in bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas works against properties that trigger mold rot and are toxic to amoeba. Essentially, the bacteria could work to prevent the harvest losses of more than 200 different types of fruits and vegetables, researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology wrote in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. “The lipopeptides kill so efficiently that we named them after Keanu Reeves because he, too, is extremely deadly in his roles,” study author Sebastian Götze, first author of the study, said. Keanu Reeves also protects against fungi that are dangerous to humans, and could be an environmentally friendly swap for pesticides. Not only that, but it could be a powerful force in antifungal medications.