Fans are familiar with Keanu Reeves playing characters who kill enemies.
Therefore, it is not surprising that scientists in Germany named a new class of fungicides after him: keanumycins.
Scientists hope it can kill the fungi that threaten crops and treat fungal infections in humans.
“Lipopeptides kill so effectively that we named them after Keanu Reeves because he also played a lethal role,” Sebastian Götze, lead author of the killer study, said in a statement.
Although a study by the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology was published earlier this month, But news of the discovery wasn’t even mentioned by “The Matrix” until this past weekend during a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session.
Reeves was grateful for that shout. Instead, he wants scientists to name his wildly altered alter ego.
“Hi thanks…they should call it John Wick…but it’s pretty cool…and surreal to me,” Reeves wrote over the Lionsgate account in response to a user who shared the news referring to the titular character of John Wick. He’s in a popular movie. action franchise “But thank you scientists! Good luck and thanks for helping us.”
Götze explains that finding really effective antifungal properties is rare. This is partly due to the high use of fungicides in agricultural produce. This allows the fungus to build resistance.
Fungal diseases lead to massive losses of fruit and vegetable yields each year. Especially strawberries and grapes, the institute said.
Another potential benefit of keanumycin is that it is environmentally friendly. Unlike pesticides typically used to kill fungi that threaten crops, Götze says the molecule is biodegradable and won’t stick in the soil for a long time.
Scientists also hope that the compound could soon be developed into a drug for use in humans.
“These are also urgently needed,” Götze said, “because there are very few antifungal drugs on the market.”
Reeves will return as the legendary assassin in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” which hits theaters May 27.
Although the demand for the fifth film is already high, But Reeves told GamesRadar earlier this year that “We’ll have to wait and see how the audience responds.”
“Hopefully they like it,” he said.
