Deadly "Pharaoh's Curse" Fungus Can Help Fight Cancer, New Study Finds

A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania said that a deadly fungus can help in fighting cancer. Aspergillus flavus, which has been linked to many deaths during the excavations of ancient tombs, is often called "pharaoh's curse fungus". The latest findings published on June 23 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology revealed that it contains a cancer-killing compound, a development that can provide new strides in cancer treatment.

The researchers isolated a new class of molecules from the fungus and modified the chemicals to test them against leukaemia cells, and were surprised by the result.

The researchers studied many strains of Aspergillus flavus and found that they might contain more of the chemicals.

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They purified four different ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and found potent cancer-fighting molecules, which they named asperigimycins.

The asperigimycins showed strong medical potential against leukaemia cells, even with no modification. The researchers discovered that asperigimycins seem to work by disrupting the process of cancer cell division.

"Fungi gave us penicillin," says Sherry Gao, Presidential Penn Compact Associate Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) and in Bioengineering (BE) and senior author of the paper

"These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found," Gao added.

"Cancer cells divide uncontrollably. These compounds block the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division," added Dr Gao.

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"Pharaoh's curse fungus"

In the 1970s, a dozen scientists entered the tomb of Casimir IV in Poland for excavations. Ten of the researchers lost their lives within only a few weeks. After the probe, it was revealed that the tomb contained the fungus A. flavus.

The fungus grows on cereals, usually kept in the tombs as offerings. Hence, it was also linked to the deaths of people who entered tombs, including Tutankhamun in 1923, as studies later discovered that Aspergillus flavus become active once it gets disturbed; otherwise, it can remain dormant for centuries.