Purification of Enzymes from Earthworms

Earthworms are a very rich source of enzymes useful for bioremediation of contaminated soils, in animal feeds for improving the digestion of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates, in detergents, in the saccharification of starch, and in human and animal therapeutics. Powdered earthworms are very popular in the Orient due to their properties as antipyretic, diuretic and fibrinolytic. However, in order to improve the applicability of these enzymes, purification at different levels is necessary. Among them, proteins such as fibrinolytic enzymes are being used in therapeutic nowadays. This article reviews the methods used for purification of fibrinolytic enzymes (useful for clotting disorders treatment), ceramide glycanase (useful for structural elucidation of glycosphingolipids), xylanolytic enzyme (useful for waste treatment), alpha amylase (useful for starch saccharification), lipase (useful for detergents formulation), glutathione transferase (useful as a potential antioxidant agent) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (useful for pesticide detoxification), in addition to lombricine kinase. All these enzymes were obtained by earthworm homogenization and further subjecting the earthworms extract to several chromatographic steps. All types of chromatography were applied: size exclusion, ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction and affinity. Moreover, an integrative technique such as aqueous two-phase partition was utilized for obtaining a clear extract containing the earthworm enzymatic pool. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________