title: Unique metabolites protect earthworms against plant polyphenols.
abstract: All higher plants produce polyphenols, for defence against above-ground herbivory. These polyphenols also influence the soil micro- and macro-fauna that break down plant leaf litter. Polyphenols therefore indirectly affect the fluxes of soil nutrients and, ultimately, carbon turnover and ecosystem functioning in soils. It is unknown how earthworms, the major component of animal biomass in many soils, cope with high-polyphenol diets. Here, we show that earthworms possess a class of unique surface-active metabolites in their gut, which we term 'drilodefensins'. These compounds counteract the inhibitory effects of polyphenols on earthworm gut enzymes, and high-polyphenol diets increase drilodefensin concentrations in both laboratory and field populations. This shows that drilodefensins protect earthworms from the harmful effects of ingested polyphenols. We have identified the key mechanism for adaptation to a dietary challenge in an animal group that has a major role in organic matter recycling in soils worldwide.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK [2] Department of Symbiosis, Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen 28359, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liebeke
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strittmatter
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.identifier: 0000000297988398
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fearn
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.
authors.forename: A John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kille
authors.affiliation: Bruker Daltonik GmbH, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuchser
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
authors.forename: Vitalii
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palchykov
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8BB, UK.
authors.forename: Elma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lahive
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8BB, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Spurgeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McPhail
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Takáts
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Jacob G
authors.identifier: 0000000211648465
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bundy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018554:Avena; D004032:Diet; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism; D060434:Herbivory; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000378:metabolism*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D029963:Quercus; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D059808:Polyphenols; D013501:Surface-Active Agents