• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.56-60
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• 2000

A study was performed to determine the maintenance conditions of the earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus, for the acute toxicity test. To fine out climatic and soil conditions, the earthworms were maintained in artificial soil consisting of sand, clay mineral and peat at different levels of conditions for 14 days. Lumbricus rubellus led to an increase of biomass at temperature $22{\pm}2^{\circ}C$, soil pH $7.0{\pm}1$ and moisture 40%. And four fungicides were tested for acute toxicities to Lumbricus rubellus, according to the optimum condition. The test earthworms were exposed to each pesticide with various concentration gradients. After 14 days, the number of surviving earthworms and their weight alteration during the test period was determined. The 14-day $LC_{50}$ values for the Lumbricus rubellus, of carbendazim, benomyl, thiophanate-methyl and thiabendazole were determined to be 59, 53, 64 and 36 mg/ kg soil dry weight, respectively.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.138-142
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• 1995

An anticoagulant/fibrinolytic protease was purified to homogeneity from the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. The protein was a single chain glycoprotein of 32 kDa that exhibited strong proteolytic activity on human thrombin and fibrin clots. Proteolytic degradation of these plasma proteins by the purified enzyme occurred at a neutral pH range. Among several human plasma proteins tested as possible substrates for the protease reaction, the 32 kDa enzyme specifically hydrolyzed both thrombin and fibrin polymers without affecting other proteins, such as serum albumin, immunoglobulin, and hemoglobin. Treatment of the purified enzyme at neutral pH with either phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride or soybean trypsin inhibitor resulted in a loss of catalytic activity. The enzyme hydrolyzed the chromogenic substrate H-D-Phe-L-Pipecolyl-L-Arg-p-nitroanilide with a $K_m$ value of 1.1 ${\mu}M$ at a neutral pH. These results suggest that the anticoagulant/fibrinolytic enzyme from Lumbricus rubellus is a member of the serine protease family having a trypsin-like active site, and one of the potential clevage sites for the enzyme is the carbonyl side of arginine residues in polypeptide chains.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.574-581
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• 2004

The full-length cDNA of the lumbrokinase fraction 6 (F6) protease gene of Lumbricus rubellus was amplified using an mRNA template, sequenced and expressed in E. coli cells. The F6 protease gene consisted of pro- and mature sequences by gene sequence analysis, and the protease was translated and modified into active mature polypeptide by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the F6 protease. The pro-region of F6 protease consisted of the 44 residues from methionine-1 to lysine-44, and the mature polypeptide sequence (239 amino acid residues and one stop codon; 720 bp) started from isoleucine-45 and continued to the terminal residue. F6 protease gene clones having pro-mature sequence and mature sequence produced inclusion bodies in E. coli cells. When inclusion bodies were orally administrated rats, generated thrombus weight in the rat' venous was reduced by approximately 60% versus controls. When the inclusion bodies were solubilized in pepsin and/or trypsin solutions, the solubilized enzymes showed hemolytic activity in vitro. It was concluded the F6 protease has hemolytic activity, and that it is composed of pro- and mature regions.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 1998

Peroxidase has been isolated to apparent homogeneity from earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus, using ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephacryl S-2000 gel filtration, CM-cellulose cation exchange chromatography and native-PAGE elution. Some of its enzymatic characteristics were examined. The optimum pH for gruaiacol oxidation of earthworm peroxidase was determined to be 6.0, and the $K_{m}$ values against guaiacol and $H_2O_2$ were 1.25 mM and 3.4mM, respectively. When various compounds were tested as the possible substrates of the enzyme, o-dianisidine was used as the substrate. However, earthworm peroxidase could not oxidize esculetin and ferulic acid as substrates, suggesting the different characteristics of the enzyme from plant peroxidases. The optimum pH for veratryl alcohol and $H_2O_2$ oxidation was determined to be 2.5 when lignin peroxidation activity was examined. The $K_{m}$ values for veratryl alcohol and $H_2O_2$ were 0.02 mM and 0.13 mM, respectively. Furthermore, the earthworm peroxidase could oxidize phenoxyherbicides such as 2,4-D, 2,4-DP and MCPA as substrates. The optimum pHs for 2,4-D, 2,4-DP and MCPA were determined to be 4.0, 2.0 and 2.0, respectively. The most available substrate was 2,4-DP, followed by MCPA and 2,4-D when their peroxidation activities were compared.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.82-87
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• 1995

The standardization of test procedures and reproducibility of the toxicity data are prerequisite for the toxicity testing with the earthworm culturing in the laboratory. No in-depth study on culturing conditions of earthworms has been conducted in Korea, even of massive cultural practice is common for composting and production of biochemicals. The earthworms, Lumbricus rubellus and Eisenia foetida, were cultured in three kinds of artificial soil substrates(I, II and III) based on the OECD Guideline, which consist of different ratios of components (sand, sphagnum peat and kaolinite), and fed with a mixture of grain powders. During the period of culturing, the body weight and reproduction parameters were measured. L. rubellus showed the best results for increasing body weight and cocoon production in the artificial soil substrate(I) compared with E. foetida. The cocoon production was significantly high in both species cultured in the artificial soil substrate(I) among the three kinds of soil substrates, but the cumulative cocoon production of L. rubellus was 11 cocoon per worm compared with 3.7 cocoons per worm of E.foetida. L. rubellus, therefore, was more prolific than E. foetida in these culture schemes. The cumulative mortality in both species was less than 10%, and the number of juvenile worms per cocoon ranged from 1.5 to 2.3 and thus did not show any relationships with soil substrates or species. From these data, the culture of L. rubellus in the laboratory could be standardized, but for E. foetida, further study would be necessary to establish the optimal growth conditions in the laboratory.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.274-283
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• 2004

Six lumbrokinase (LK) fractions from Lumbricus rubellus lysates were purified by a series of column chromatographies. The molecular weights of the six LK fractions appeared to range from 24.6 to 33.1 kDa. In the experimental model of rat venous thrombosis, the thrombus weight and PAI activity decreased significantly when the LK was administered orally. However, the activities of APTT, PT and plasmin showed a significant increase. The aggregation of rat platelets pretreated with various LK doses was inhibited by thrombin, and the MDA generation decreased. The rat thoracic aorta and mesentric arteries contracted with phenylephrine relaxed due to the treatment of the LK fractions. These results suggest that the fibrinolytic effects of LK were mediated not only by proteolytic activity, but also by the inhibition of platelet agregation and the relaxation of blood vessels. It is concluded that the LK may be useful as a hemolytic agent for treatment of fibrin clot.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.919-924
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• 2006

Toxicity evaluation systems for various chemicals and their metabolites have been developed during last decades. In this study, the acute toxicity of endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as endosulfan, bisphenol A, vinclozolin, and 3,5-dichloroaniline, was evaluated using HepG2 cell line, Lumbricus rubellus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively. The extents of toxicity of the chemicals in different bioassay systems varied substantially, such as endosulfan>3,5-dichloroaniline> bisphenol A in HepG2 cell line system, endosulfan>bisphenol A>3,5-dichloro aniline in L. rubellus system, and 3,5-dichloroaniline>endosulfan>bisphenol A in S. cerevisiae system. Meanwhile, no cytotoxicity was observed by treatment of vinclozolin in the evaluation systems. Our results suggest that earthworm and yeast are useful to evaluate acute toxicity of endocrine disrupting chemicals, and direct comparison of toxicity data from different bioassay systems is unattainable. Based on our results, we propose that the bioassay system with earthworm or yeast, a rapid, simple and economic system, could be applied as pre-test for the toxicity evaluation using human cell line or animals.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.18 no.5 s.90
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• pp.8-14
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• 2006

An earthworm protease, Lumbricus rubellus, was used to improve the dyeing properties of protein fibers such as wool and silk. The optimal condition for the activity of the earthworm pretense was about $40^{\circ}C$ at pH 7. The wool and silk were treated with the protease extracted from an earthworm and the K/S values of the dyed wool and silk were measured using a spectrophotometer in order to compare the dye uptake. The pretense treatment enhanced the dyeing properties of protein fibers without severe changes in mechanical properties. The surface appearances of pretense-treated fibers were observed by microscopy analysis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.666-670
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• 1995

The plasmin activity of euglobulin fraction treated with earthworm extract(EWE) increased concentration dependently when EWE(0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg each) were added to normal plasma. It was shown that lumbrokinase in EWE may be moved to euglobulin fraction and activated plasminogen. Also anticoagulation and fibbrinolysis were studied when EWE(7.5, 30 and 120 mg/kg) were added to rat model. Prothrombin time (PT) were 19.7${\pm}$ 3.8, 22.5${\pm}$ 2.5 and 24.5${\pm}$ 5.0sec. activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were 25.7${\pm}$ 5.9, 28.7${\pm}$ 5.2 and 36.5${\pm}$ 19.1 sec. After 15 days, the production of D-dimer were 242.3${\pm}$ 47.4, 250.0${\pm}$ 11.9 and 205.8${\pm}$ 12.2mg/ml plasma, respectively. These data showed that EWE acted on the coagulation factor of intrinsic and extrinsic system.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.125-135
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• 1995

붉은지렁이 (Lumbricus rubellus)의 체내에 존재하는 prophenoloxidase-phenoloxidase(prPO$\longrightarrow$PO)의 활성계는 몇 종류의 다른 경로에 의해 활성화 됨을 발견하였다 Propo는 exogenous trypsin $\beta$ 1.3-glucan, Ca2' 이온. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 및 열처리 등에 의하여 활성도가 증가 되었고 Ca2' 이온이 나머지 4가지 종류의 처리와 함께 병행되었을 때 그 효과가 더욱 증가하였다 Propo의 활성도는 LPS나 Ca2' 이온의 농도가 각각 1 5H 10-s g Lps/r리, 15 mM(Ca2')의 농도에서 propo의 최대활성치를 나타냈으나 그 이상의 농도에서는 propo의 활성이 오히려 감소하였다. LPS. $\beta$ 1,3-glucan 및 Ca2' 이온 등은 trypsin 억제인자인 soybean trypsin inhibitor(571)가 함께 존재할 경우 전혀 propo를 활성화 시킨지 못하는 것으로 미루어 $\beta$ 1,3-glucan 및 Ca2' 이온 등은 체내의 trypsin 유사 효소의 활성을 증가시켜 궁극적으로는 proPO$\longrightarrow$PO의 활성화 반응에 간접적으로 작용한다고 생각되었다. 한편. 571의 존재하에서도 50"C의 열처리는 propo의 활성화에 아주 효과적인 물리적 요인으로 작용하였다. 따라서 열처리는 Ca2'이나 LPS. f 1,3-glucan파는 달리 직접적으로 proPO$\longrightarrow$PO의 활성화 반응에 작용하는 것으로 생각되어 붉은 지렁이의 체내에서 proPO가 활성화되는 괴정(propo-activating system)에는 최소한 2가지 이상의 경로가 있다고 생각된다.생각된다.