Drilodefensins are a class of molecules first found in the gut of

earthworms An earthworm is a soil-dwelling terrestrial animal, terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. The term is the common name for the largest members of the class (biology), class (or subclass (biology), subclass, depending on ...

. They belong to the class of dialkylfuransulfonic acids and so far six different

homologs Homologous chromosomes or homologs are a set of one maternal and one paternal chromosome that pair up with each other inside a cell during meiosis. Homologs have the same genes in the same loci, where they provide points along each chromosome th ...

have been found.

Origin

They were named based on megadrile, the group of terrestrial clitellate annelids including earthworms. The major occurring drilodefensin in earthworms i
drilodefensin 1
(hexylethylfuransulfonic acid, former abbreviated as HEFS).

Mechanism of action

Based on their structure they act as biological

surfactants Surfactants are chemical compounds that decrease the surface tension or interfacial tension between two liquids, a liquid and a gas, or a liquid and a solid. The word ''surfactant'' is a blend of "surface-active agent", coined in 1950. As t ...

involved in earthworm digestive functioning and protect the earthworm digestive system from the negative impact of plant compounds called polyphenols which do protein-binding.

References

{{reflist Furans Sulfonic acids