Strange Mystery of the Earthworm Stomach Solved with One Unusual Molecule

Scientists have finally unraveled the mystery behind earthworm digestion. They've taken a closer look at these animals and have found how they can digest plant material that would defeat other herbivores.

Earthworms are responsible for returning the carbon locked inside dead plant material back into the ground. They drag fallen leaves and other plant material down from the surface and then eat them, enriching the soil.

In this latest study, the researchers looked at the earthworm gut to get a better sense of exactly what was going on. They found molecules that actually counteract a plant's natural defenses and enable digestion.

The molecules are named drilodefensins, and are extremely abundant. This abundance, though, is not an excess. Earthworks will actually recycle drilodefensins in order to harness their effects again.

Plants make polyphenols, which act as antioxidants and give plants their color. They also inhibit the digestion of many herbivores. Earthworms, however, are able to digest fallen leaves and other plant material, thanks to the ability of drilodefensins to counteract polyphenols.

"Using these molecular microscopes is changing how we understand complex biochemistry of living beings," said Manuel Liebeke, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Using these molecular microscopes is changing how we understand complex biochemistry of living beings; we are now able to locate every molecule in, for example, an earthworm to a specific location. Knowing the location of a molecule can help us to figure out what it actually does."

It seems that earthworms have a metabolic coping mechanism to deal with plants. With that said, the scientists are now looking forward to future research on this molecule to better understand how it might be used in other applications.

The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications.

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