Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study on bioluminescence and photoluminescence in the earthworm Eisenia lucens

  • Communication
  • Published:
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Eisenia lucens is an earthworm living in the organic soil layer of decomposing wood. When irritated, the worm expels coelomic fluid through pores in its body wall, exhibiting blue-green bioluminescence. The mechanism of the bioluminescence, which seems to be different from other bioluminescence systems of terrestrial animals, has been studied in this work. Many lines of evidence indicate that riboflavin stored in coelomycetes plays an important role in this glowing reaction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. O. Shimomura, Bioluminescence, Photochem. Photobiol., 1983, 38, 773–779.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. B. G. M. Jamieson, J. E. Wampler, Bioluminescent Australian earthworms 2. taxonomy and preliminary-report of bioluminescence in the genera spenceriella, fletcherodrilus and pontodrilus (megascolecidae, oligochaeta), Aust. J. Zool., 1979, 27, 637–669.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. J. E. Wampler, B. G. M. Jamieson, Cell bound bioluminescence from pontodrilus-bermudensis, and its similarities to other earthworm bioluminescence, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Part A: Mol. Integr. Physiol., 1986, 84, 81–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J. E. Wampler, The bioluminescence system of microscolex-phosphoreus and its similarities to those of other bioluminescent earthworms (oligochaeta), Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Part A: Mol. Integr. Physiol., 1982, 71, 599–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. H. Ohtsuka, N. G. Rudie, J. E. Wampler, Structural identification and synthesis of luciferin from bioluminescent earthworm, diplocardia-longa, Biochemistry, 1976, 15, 1001–1004.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. N. G. Rudie, H. Ohtsuka, J. E. Wampler, Purification and properties of luciferin from bioluminescent earthworm, diplocardia-longa, Photochem. Photobiol., 1976, 23, 71–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. S. M. Marques, V. N. Petushkov, N. S. Rodionova, J. C. G. Esteves da Silva, LC-MS and microscale NMR analysis of luciferin-related compounds from the bioluminescent earthworm Fridericia heliota, J. Photochem. Photobiol., B, 2011, 102, 218–223.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. V. Petushkov, M. Dubinnyi, A. Tsarkova, N. Rodionova, M. Baranov, O. Shimomura, I. Yampolsky, A novel ATP-dependent bioluminescent system from the Siberian earthworm Fridericia heliota: structure elucidation of luciferin and its analogs, Luminescence, 2014, 29, 54–55.

    Google Scholar 

  9. V. N. Petushkov, M. A. Dubinnyi, A. S. Tsarkova, N. S. Rodionova, M. S. Baranov, V. S. Kublitski, O. Shimomura, I. V. Yampolsky, A Novel Type of Luciferin from the Siberian Luminous Earthworm Fridericia heliota: Structure Elucidation by Spectral Studies and Total Synthesis, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2014, 53, 5566–5568.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. V. N. Petushkov, M. A. Dubinnyi, N. S. Rodionova, K. D. Nadezhdin, S. M. Marques, J. C. G. Esteves da Silva, O. Shimomura, I. V. Yampolsky, AsLn2, a luciferin-related modified tripeptide from the bioluminescent earthworm Fridericia heliota, Tetrahedron Lett., 2014, 55, 463–465.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. V. N. Petushkov, A. S. Tsarkova, M. A. Dubinnyi, N. S. Rodionova, S. M. Marques, J. C. G. Esteves da Silva, O. Shimomura, I. V. Yampolsky, CompX, a luciferin-related tyrosine derivative from the bioluminescent earthworm Fridericia heliota. Structure elucidation and total synthesis, Tetrahedron Lett., 2014, 55, 460–462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. N. G. Rudie, J. E. Wampler, Earthworm bioluminescence - characterization of luminescent cell from diplocardia-longa, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Part A: Mol. Integr. Physiol., 1978, 59, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. N. G. Rudie, M. G. Mulkerrin, J. E. Wampler, Earthworm bioluminescence - characterization of high specific activity diplocardia-longa luciferase and the reaction it catalyzes, Biochemistry, 1981, 20, 344–350.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. R. Bellisar, M. J. Cormier, Peroxide-linked bioluminescence catalyzed by a copper-containing, non-heme luciferase isolated from a bioluminescent earthworm, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 1971, 43, 800–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J. M. Backovský, J. Komárek, K. Wenig, Attempt to explain the mechanism of luminescence in Vejdovský’s earthworm., Vestník CS. Zoologické Spolecnosti v Praze, 1939, 7, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  16. R. B. Heredia, S. Duenas, L. Castillo, J. J. Ventura, M. Silva Briano, F. Posadas del Rio, M. G. Rodriguez, Autofluorescence as a tool to study mucus secretion in Eisenia foetida, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Part A: Mol. Integr. Physiol., 2008, 151, 407–414.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. A. I. Mazur, M. Klimek, A. J. Morgan, B. Plytycz, Riboflavin storage in earthworm chloragocytes and chloragocyte-derived eleocytes and its putative role as chemoattractant for immunocompetent cells, Pedobiologia, 2011, 54, S37–S42.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. B. Plytycz, A. J. Morgan, Riboflavin storage in earthworm chloragocytes/eleocytes in an eco-immunology perspective, Invertebr. Survival J., 2011, 8, 199–209.

    Google Scholar 

  19. P. Sulik, M. Klimek, P. Talik, J. Kruk, A. J. Morgan, B. Plytycz, Searching for external sources of the riboflavin stored in earthworm eleocytes, Invertebr. Survival J., 2012, 9, 169–177.

    Google Scholar 

  20. A. Rorat, N. Kachamakova-Trojanowska, A. Jozkowicz, J. Kruk, C. Cocquerelle, F. Vandenbulcke, M. Santocki, B. Plytycz, Coelomocyte- Derived Fluorescence and DNA Markers of Composting Earthworm Species, J. Exp. Zool., Part A, 2014, 321, 28–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. O. Shimomura, Bioluminescence: Chemical Principles and Methods, World Scientific, 2006.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. S. C. Tu, H. I. X. Mager, Biochemistry of bacterial bioluminescence, Photochem. Photobiol., 1995, 62, 615–624.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. A. A. Green, W. D. McElroy, Bacterial luciferase, Methods Enzymol., 1955, 2, 857–861.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. J. Zeng, R. A. Jewsbury, Chemiluminescence of flavins in the presence of Fe(II), J. Photochem. Photobiol., A, 1995, 91, 117–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. E. Rota, Lights on the ground: A historical survey of light production in the Oligochaeta, in Bioluminescence in Focus - A Collection of Illuminating Essays, ed. V. B. Meyer-Rochow, Research Signpost, India, 2009, pp. 105–138.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, CZ 62500, Czech Republic

    O. Pes, A. Midlik & P. Taborsky

  2. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, CZ 62500, Czech Republic

    A. Midlik & P. Taborsky

  3. Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, CZ 62500, Czech Republic

    J. Schlaghamersky

  4. Material Research Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno Technical University of Technology, Purkynova 464/118, Brno, CZ 61200, Czech Republic

    M. Zitnan

  5. Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Czech Republic

    P. Taborsky

  6. Kamenice 753/5, Brno, CZ 62500, Czech Republic

    M. Zitnan

Authors
  1. O. Pes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Midlik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Schlaghamersky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Zitnan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Taborsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Taborsky.

Additional information

Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5pp00412h

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pes, O., Midlik, A., Schlaghamersky, J. et al. A study on bioluminescence and photoluminescence in the earthworm Eisenia lucens. Photochem Photobiol Sci 15, 175–180 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1039/c5pp00412h

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c5pp00412h

Search

Navigation