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A 1000-year-old mystery solved: Unlocking the molecular structure for the medieval blue from Chrozophora tinctoria, also known as folium

Nabais, P.,Oliveira, J.,Pina, F.,Teixeira, N.,de Freitas, V.,Brás, N. F.,Clemente, A.,Rangel, M.,Silva, A. M. S.,Melo, M. J.

Abstract

The molecular structure of the medieval watercolor known as folium has finally been solved in the 21st century. The interdisciplinary approach taken was the key to producing extracts that had been prepared following medieval instructions, and shows the blue/purple chromophore as the major dye in Chrozophora tinctoria fruits (shell). A multi-analytical characterization of its structure was made using HPLC-DAD-MS, GC-MS, NMR (1H, 13C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, INADEQUATE), and computational studies. The results demonstrate that the blue compound corresponds to 6'-hydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxy-1,1'-dimethyl-5'-{[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl]oxy}-[3,3'-bipyridine]-2,2',5,6(1H,1'H)-tetraone, a hermidin derivative, which we named chrozophoridin. Experimental data and computational modeling studies show that this mono-glycosylated dimer is represented by two stable isomers (atropisomers). This is an indispensable piece of knowledge for the characterization of this medieval dye in works of art such as medieval manuscript illuminations and for testing its stability and contributes to the preservation of our cultural heritage.

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Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 1 o 8 CHEMISTRY A 1000-yea -old mys e y sol ed: Unlocking he molecula s uc u e o he medie al blue om Ch ozopho a inc o ia, also known as olium P. Nabais1, J. Oli ei a2*, F. Pina1, N. Teixei a2, V. de F ei as2*, N. F. B ás3, A. Clemen e4, M. Rangel5, A. M. S. Sil a6, M. J. Melo1* The molecula s uc u e o he medie al wa e colo known as olium has inally been sol ed in he 21s cen u y. The in e disciplina y app oach aken was he key o p oducing ex ac s ha had been p epa ed ollowing medie al ins uc ions, and shows he blue/pu ple ch omopho e as he majo dye in Ch ozopho a inc o ia ui s (shell). A mul i-analy ical cha ac e iza ion o i s s uc u e was made using HPLC-DAD-MS, GC-MS, NMR (1H, 13C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, INADEQUATE), and compu a ional s udies. The esul s demons a e ha he blue compound co esponds o 6′-hyd oxy-4,4′-dime hoxy-1,1′-dime hyl-5′-{[3,4,5- ihyd oxy-6-(hyd oxyme hyl) e ahyd o-2H-py an-2-yl] oxy}-[3,3′-bipy idine]-2,2′,5,6(1H,1′H)- e aone, a he midin de i a i e, which we named ch ozopho idin. Expe imen al da a and compu a ional modeling s udies show ha his mono-glycosyla ed dime is ep esen ed by wo s able isome s (a opisome s). This is an indispensable piece o knowledge o he cha ac e iza ion o his medie al dye in wo ks o a such as medie al manusc ip illumina ions and o es ing i s s abili y and con ibu es o he p ese a ion o ou cul u al he i age. INTRODUCTION Ch ozopho a inc o ia in medie al and 19 h cen u y w i en sou ces The use o he plan Ch ozopho a inc o ia (L.) A.Juss. o p oduce colo s o illumina ed manusc ip s is ex ensi ely desc ibed in medie al w i en sou ces (1–4). Wha dis inguishes C. inc o ia om o he medie al na u al sou ces o dye o p oduce pain s is ha , un il now, he blue colo s uc u e emained elusi e (5–7), despi e he e o s by many g oups in he las decades o he 20 h cen u y and in o he 21s cen u y (8–11). To ackle his mys e y, ou in e disciplina y g oup assembled a eam o chemis s who ha e expe ise in na u al p oduc s iden i ica ion; conse a ion scien is s, wo king in he e- p oduc ion o medie al colo s; and a biologis wi h a g ea deal o bo anical and ield knowledge o he Po uguese lo a, who o e sees plan sou cing. This in e disciplina y app oach p o ed essen ial o sol ing he complex s uc u e o he blue dye. On he basis o he de ailed desc ip ions ha we e selec ed om h ee medie al ea ises, we planned he ield expedi ions and he sampling me hods o collec ing plan ma e ials. F ui s we e collec ed du ing July, Augus , and Sep embe 2017 and 2018 (un ipe and ipe) in sou he n Po ugal (G anja/Mou ão). C. inc o ia ex ac s we e p epa ed ollowing he ea ises’ ins uc ions, and he main colo an was isola ed, pu i ied, and cha ac e ized h ough a mul i-analy ical app oach: high-pe o mance liquid ch oma og aphy–high- esolu ion mass spec ome y–diode a ay de ec o (HPLC-HRMS-DAD), gas ch oma og aphy–mass spec ome y (GC-MS), nuclea magne ic es- onance (NMR) [1H, 13C, co ela ion spec oscopy (COSY), he e o- nuclea single-quan um cohe ence (HSQC), he e onuclea mul iple- bond co ela ion (HMBC), INADEQUATE], and elec on pa amagne ic esonance (EPR) (12,13). On he basis o he expe imen al esul s, he molecula s uc u e o he blue colo compound has inally been sol ed and will be discussed in his pape . Theo e ical calcula ions suppo ed his assignmen , and he p edic ed ul a iole - isible (UV-VIS) abso p ion spec a o e lapped well he expe imen al spec a. O he amilies o ch omopho es, p esen in mino amoun s, we e also de ec ed and cha ac e ized by HPLC-HRMS. C. inc o ia and i s uses we e well known in an iqui y and medie al imes. Howe e , he p ac ice o c ea ing he blue colo ell ou o use and i was los in he 19 h cen u y. I s medicinal p ope ies we e i s desc ibed by Diosco ides (De Ma e ia Medica, 1s cen u y) and we e also men ioned in medie al pha macopoeia ex s, and s udies ocusing on i s an i-in lamma o y p ope ies ha e been published ecen ly (14–16). The dyeing p ope ies o his species and hei applica ions a e a ascina ing subjec ha will be e isi ed, as i is ele an o his esea ch. In medie al imes, he blue and pu ple solu ions ex ac ed om C. inc o ia we e s o ed, a e adso p ion on o clo h and d ying, as wa e colo s (clo hle s), and we e applied as pain by cu ing a piece o clo h and ex ac ing i s colo wi h he app op ia e binding medium. Comple e desc ip ions o he plan , when o collec i , and how i was p ocessed a e ound in impo an medie al ea ises such as The book on how o make all he colou pain s o illumina ing books (15 h cen u y), Mon pellie libe di e sa um a cium (14 h cen u y), and Theophilus on di e s a s (12 h cen u y), he ea e e e ed o as Book o all colo pain s (1), Mon pellie (2), and Theophilus (3). In hese ea ises, only he ui s we e collec ed (Fig.1). The pain hus ob ained was named olium o o nasol ( u nsole); his la e desig- na ion is common o he blue/pu ple wa e colo s ob ained om 1REQUIMTE–Labo a ó io Associado pa a a Química Ve de, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Uni e sidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus Capa ica, 2829-516 Mon e de Capa ica, Po ugal. 2REQUIMTE–Labo a ó io Associado pa a a Química Ve de, Faculdade de Ciências, Uni e sidade do Po o, Rua do Campo Aleg e, s/n, 4169-007 Po o, Po ugal. 3REQUIMTE–UCIBIO, Faculdade de Ciências, Uni e sidade do Po o, Rua do Campo Aleg e, s/n, 4169-007 Po o, Po ugal. 4cE3c–Cen e o Ecology, E olu ion and En i onmen al Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Uni e sidade de Lisboa, Campo G ande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Po ugal. 5REQUIMTE–Labo a ó io Associado pa a a Química Ve de, Ins i u o de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza , Uni e sidade do Po o. 6REQUIMTE–Labo a ó io Associado pa a a Química Ve de, Depa amen o de Química, and QOPNA, Uni e si y o A ei o, 3810-193 A ei o, Po ugal. *Co esponding au ho . Email: [email p o ec ed] (M.J.M.); [email p o ec ed] (J.O.); [email p o ec ed] (V.d.F.) Copy igh © 2020 The Au ho s, some igh s ese ed; exclusi e licensee Ame ican Associa ion o he Ad ancemen o Science. No claim o o iginal U.S. Go e nmen Wo ks. Dis ibu ed unde a C ea i e Commons A ibu ion NonComme cial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC). on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 2 o 8 lichens (e.g., Roccella inc o ia and Lasallia pus ula a), and conse- quen ly, C. inc o ia dyes emained o e e in e linked o hese lichens. Cla ke, in his c i ical edi ion o ex s w i en in he 14 h and 15 h cen u ies, goes u he and sugges s ha he e m o nasol was used gene ically o designa e any wa e -based colo s o ed in clo h (17). This had been al eady posi ed by Walle (9) in his p oposal o iden i y olium in manusc ip illumina ions based on molecula lu- o escence. Fo una ely, we we e able o selec some medie al eci- pes o p oduce C. inc o ia blues, because hey a e so de ailed and o e accu a e desc ip ions o he ui and ins uc ions o no b eak he ui s and ee he seeds, hus poin ing o he use o C. inc o ia (and no o lichens). We also ha e 19 h cen u y documen al e idence ha his medie al knowledge was p ese ed, un il nea ly he u n o ha cen u y, in he egion o G and-Galla gues (now, Galla gues- le- Mon ueux), in F ance. In 1842, Joly (18) published a clea , con- cise, and comple e ex on his subjec , including e e ences o ea lie wo ks such as Nissolle’s (19) publica ion ha o e s a p ecise desc ip ion o he plan , accompanied wi h an equally accu a e illus a ion. Joly’s ex is ema kable in se e al aspec s; i s , he isi s G and-Galla gues o in e iew a p ies by he name o Hugues and o ga he in o ma ion di ec ly om he make s; p ecisely du ing he pe iod when he plan should be collec ed (Augus /Sep embe ), “ e s la in de sep emb e 1838, e dans les de nie s jou s du mois d’aoû 1839.” Acco ding o Joly, in his egion, his ac i i y has been docu- men ed since 1600 (when eco ds a e a ailable), bu e en so, ac- co ding o Fa he Hugues, i is one o he mos mys e ious o c a s (18,20): “peu d’indus ies son aussi mys é ieuses: ceux qui l’exploi en n’en connaissen poin la des ina ion; ceux qui en p o i en n’en connaissen poin la p épa a ion, e ceux qui l’on déc i e n’on débi é que des mensonges, pa ce qu’ils ne ansc i aien que de ausses indica ions” [ ew indus ies a e so mys e ious: hose who exploi i do no know i s inal applica ions; hose who p o i by i do no know how o p epa e i , and hose who ha e desc ibed i ha e only old lies, because hey ha e only ansc ibed alse di ec ions] (18). Joly desc ibes he p ocess using he en i e plan o p oduce he da k blue colo and he inno a ions ha we e in oduced in he me- die al p ocess, and concludes ha , a ha ime, he clo hle s we e mainly sold o dye cheese inds ed in he Ne he lands (21): “mais il pa aî que l’usage en es bo né à donne aux c oû es du omage de Hollande ce e ein e ouge qui les dis ingue, (...) Il su i de empe les o mages dans un baque d’eau bleuie pa les chi ons, e de les en e i e p esque aussi ô pou les ai e séche ” [bu i seems ha he use is limi ed o gi ing he ind o Du ch cheese ha ed hue ha dis inguishes i , (...) All you ha e o do is soak he cheese in a bucke o wa e dyed blue by he clo hle s ( ags), and o emo e hem almos immedia ely o le hem d y] (18). Joly p oposes ha no only o he species could be es ed o dyeing mo e e icien ly, such as o he Ch ozopho a species, bu also Me cu ialis pe ennis (dog’s me cu y) and Me cu ialis omen osa. This is ex ao dina y, as now om his cu en p ojec , we know ha hese dyes sha e a common molecula s uc u e (Fig.1). Joly also es ed and concluded ha he p ecu so s o he blue may be ound in all he pa s o he plan and a e mo e abundan in ui s. He concluded, “Sous l’in luence de la ie, il exis e dans ces o ganes à l’é a incolo e; ap ès la mo du égé al, e sous l’in luence de l’oxygène a mosphé ique e d’une p omp e dessicca ion, il peu de eni bleu” [Unde he in luence o li e, i exis s in hese o ganisms in a colo less s a e; a e he dea h o he plan , and unde he in luence o a mosphe ic oxygen and a apid desicca ion, i becomes blue] (18), which is p ecisely he way he appea ance o he blue colo in M. pe ennis is desc ibed in mo e ecen s udies pe o med by Swan and Lo en z e al. (22–25). These au ho s ha e cha ac e ized he molecula s uc u e o he blue ch omopho e as will be desc ibed below. Medicinal p ope ies in Me cu ialis species and molecula s uc u es o i s blue colo s In 1985, Swan p oposed he i s molecula s uc u e o he “blue ch omogen” isola ed om M. pe ennis (dog’s me cu y), a pe ennial he b used in emedies o medicinal pu poses (22,23). Swan syn hesized 2,3,6- ihyd oxy-4-me hoxy-1-me hyl-py idinium ( ig. S1), a colo less compound in solu ion ha he could oxidize o a blue ansien colo . In his own wo ds: “To summa ize, i is sugges ed ha he ch omogen p esen in he colo less aqueous ex ac o Me cu ialis pe ennis (...) is compound he midin (2,3,6- ihyd oxy-4-me hoxy-1-me hyl-py idinium) and ha on oxida ion by ai o K3[Fe(CN)6] he blue ansien colo is due o a semiquinone- like (17), and ha a he momen when he solu ion u ns yellow i con ains compounds (16), (22), and (23).” ( ig. S1). On d ying, M. pe ennis plan s ake on a da k blue colo . As Swan could only ob ain a empo a y blue in solu ion, his made him doub ha his ch omogen could be he only sou ce o he blue colo . La e , in 2010 and 2014 (23,24), he ins abili y o he blue s uc u e in solu ion was s udied in de ail by Lo enz e al. (Fig.2). Tha esea ch allowed his g oup o con i m he molecula s uc u es p oposed by Swan as he o igin o he blue colo in M. pe ennis and o sugges in e con e sion mechanisms o he colo less he midin in o he blue he midin quinone and he la e in o yellow dime ic educed o ms, as desc ibed in de ail in he Supplemen a y Ma e ials and depic ed in Fig.2 (23,24). In 1984, Fo es e had al eady epo ed ha aqueous solu ions o he midin eadily gi e ise o a ansien blue adical-anion on Fig. 1. The molecule o his s udy, ch ozopho idin. Le : Close-up o C. inc o ia ui s (collec ed in Alen ejo, Po ugal) and clo hle s p epa ed wi h he juice o he ui s ollowing he ins uc ions in he Book o all colo pain s. Ligh g een ui s we e used in his s udy sho ly a e collec ion. Righ : Molecula s uc u es o he blue colo an s, he midin ( om M. pe ennis), and ch ozopho idin ( om C. inc o ia). Pho o c edi : Paula Nabais, Uni e sidade NOVA de Lisboa. on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 3 o 8 exposu e o ai , he iden i y o which has been es ablished by elec- on spin esonance spec oscopy (25). Plan desc ip ion C. inc o ia (L.) A.Juss. (Eupho biaceae) is an annual he b na i e o he Medi e anean egion, no h A ica, and cen al and sou hwes e n Asia. This species can be ound on d y and dis u bed lands, ude al habi a s, allows, and along he edges o cul i a ed ields, mos ly in limes one. The plan s a e 10 o 40cm all, g ay-g een, and omen ous (densely co e ed wi h s ella e hai s). S ems a e e ec and b anched and lea es a e al e na e, hombic o o a e, cunea e a he base, and wi h sinua e lea ma gin (26). C. inc o ia is monoecious, bea ing male and emale ep oduc i e o gans in di e en lowe s bu on he same plan . Flowe s a e g ouped in o spike-like acemes, wi h male lowe s a he op and emale lowe s a he base, usually soli a y. Male lowe s a e yellow and inconspicuous. Female lowe s exhibi a sphe ical o a y and pe als a e no p esen . Flowe ing occu s om May o Sep embe and ui ma u a ion is be ween July and Oc obe . Ma u e ui s a e da k g een, subsphe ic, and sligh ly lobed capsules, co e ed wi h whi e scales and 5 o 8mm in diame e (Fig.1 and ig. S2). Du ing dehiscence, each o he h ee single-seeded loculus opens in o wo al es, eleasing h ee g ay o ligh b own, ough- ex u ed obo a e seeds app oxima ely 4mm in size (26). Molecula s uc u es o colo an s in C. inc o ia In con as o he success ul disco e y o he molecula s uc u e o he blue in M. pe ennis (dog‘s me cu y), he wo ks published o C. inc o ia ha e been inconclusi e o ha e sugges ed inco ec s uc- u es. In 1997, Guineau (8) p oposed o cinol o he blue colo based on ime-o - ligh seconda y ion MS da a, which suppo ed he p e ious sugges ions o he p esence o lichen colo an s in C. inc o ia ha we e e iewed by Walle (9). As we will show in his pape , o cinol- based s uc u es a e no p esen in he ex ac s o he ui s o C. inc o ia (27). Mo e ecen ly, he dye was in es iga ed by Ace o’s g oup and, al hough hey did no p oposed any s uc u e o he blue dye, hey epo ed ha “ he mass spec um is domina ed by a peak a 266 m/z” (10). An hocyanins ha e also been p oposed, bu ne e iden i ied (9). In he pas 2 yea s, we ha e endea o ed o unlock he chemical s uc u e behind he blue/pu ple colo in C. inc o ia. This is an in- dispensable piece o knowledge o he p ese a ion o ou Eu opean cul u al he i age, in wo ks o a such as medie al manusc ip illu- mina ions whe e his dye could ha e been used. RESULTS Cha ac e iza ion o he blue dye ex ac ed om he ui s (shell) o C. inc o ia The blue ex ac o C. inc o ia, ob ained om he ui s as epo ed in Ma e ials and Me hods, was analyzed using HPLC-DAD and LC-MS (Table1 and ig. S3). The ex ac essen ially showed he p esence o one ch oma og aphic peak cha ac e ized by a maximum abso p ion wa eleng h, max, a ci ca 540 nm, indica i e o a pu ple/ bluish colo , and an ion mass mass/cha ge a io (m/z) a 501, in posi i e ion mode. The ollowing agmen s we e also de ec ed, a m/z 339, compa ible wi h he loss o a hexose moie y (shown o be an O-glucose linkage), and a m/z 307, 279, and 254, in he MS3 spec um, consis en wi h he loss o me hoxyl and me hyl g oups. In addi ion, an ion mass a m/z 334 wi h a MS2 spec um a m/z 172 (loss o 162 uni ied a omic mass uni ) and a MS3 spec um wi h wo agmen s a m/z 157 and 115 we e also de ec ed in he ex ac . The ion mass m/z 172 and he espec i e agmen s a m/z 157 and 115 we e desc ibed in he li e a u e by Lo enz e al. (23) and co espond o he midin p e sen in M. pe ennis. In his case, he ion mass a m/z 334 should co espond o he glycosyla ed o m o he midin (Fig.1). We did no obse e a peak a 266m/z, con a y o wha was obse ed by Ace o e al. (10) ha epo ed ha in hei ex ac s o C. inc o ia “ he mass spec um is domina ed by a peak a 266 m/z.” Fig. 2. Causes o colo in he midin ex ac ed om M. pe ennis. Con e sion o colo less he midin in o he blue he midin quinone and o ma ion o dime ic s uc u es as p oposed by Lo enz e al. (23, 24). on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 4 o 8 Adding o his, se e al an hocyanins we e also iden i ied as mino compounds in he ui s’ ex ac , peonidin-3-O-glucoside, and he couma oyla ed de i a i es o delphinidin, cyanidin, pela gonidin, and peonidin (Table 1 and igs. S3 and S4). These an hocyanins we e en a i ely iden i ied by mass spec a and he ch oma og aphic e- en ion ime compa ed o s anda ds. On he basis o i s exac mass (501.1371), he elemen al composi ion o he blue dye should co espond o C20H24O13N2 (500.41 gmol−1). On a i s a emp , and due o he p esence o a he midin-glucoside in he ex ac , a he midin-like s uc u e was conside ed o i . Con- a y o wha was epo ed o he ansien blue adical-anion o cyanohe midin in M. pe ennis ( ig. S1), he blue ex ac om C. inc o ia was s able o se e al days, poin ing o he absence o a adical species. Despi e his indica ion, EPR expe imen s we e pe o med and con- i med ha no adical species we e p esen in he aqueous solu ion o he pu i ied compound. To elucida e he s uc u e o he blue dye p esen in C. inc o ia ui s, he pu i ied compound was analyzed using one-dimensional (1D; 1H and 13C) and 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and INADEQUATE) NMR in DMSO-d6/D2O (9:1). The assignmen o he p o on and ca bon chemical shi s (Table2) o he pu i ied compound showed he p esence o wo a opisome s (Fig.3). The p oposed s uc u es co espond o wo o ame s (a opisome 1 and a opisome 2), which we e pe cei ed in he 13C expe imen , wi h all he ca bon signals appea ing in duplica e and wi h he same in ensi y (Fig.3). The anome ic p o ons H-1′ om he wo isome s we e assigned o he wo double s (J=7.7 and 7.5 Hz, espec i ely) p esen a 4.32 and 4.20pa s pe million (ppm), espec i ely. P o ons H-2′, H-3′, H-4′, H-5′, H-6′a, and H-6′b o glucose o bo h isome s we e a - ibu ed o he signals p esen a 3.13, 3.10, 2.90, 3.16, 3.45, and 3.63 ppm, espec i ely, by hei co ela ions wi h each o he in he COSY spec um. Because o he supe imposi ion o signals in ol ing wo simila compounds, i was no possible o accu a ely a ibu e he chemical shi s and coupling cons an s o all he p o ons o bo h isome s. The O-CH3 p o ons p esen in ca bon C-4 and C-10 we e assigned o he single s p esen a 3.75/3.77 and 3.71/3.78 ppm, e- spec i ely, and he p o ons N-CH3 p esen in ings A and B o bo h isome s appea ed a 3.12 ppm as a single . The assignmen o he ca bon esonances was made possible using 2D NMR echniques (gHSQC, gHMBC, and INADEQUATE). Ca - bons C-1′, C-2′, C-3′, C-4′, C-5′, and C-6′ om he glucose moie y o a opisome s 1 and 2 we e assigned o 108.3/108.7, 74.1/74.1, 77.4/77.5, 75.0/75.0, 76.9/76.9, and 61.3/61.5 ppm h ough hei di ec co ela ions wi h he espec i e p o ons. Ca bons O-CH3 ( ings A and B) and N-CH3 ( ings A and B) om isome s 1/2 we e as- signed o 59.2/59.4, 60.8/60.1, 27.4/27.5, and 27.3/27.5 ppm (Table2). Ca bons C-5 om bo h a opisome s we e assigned o 122.0 and 122.3 ppm, by he long-dis ance co ela ion (HMBC) wi h he ano- me ic p o ons H-1′. Ca bons C-4 and C-10 om bo h a opisome s we e a ibu ed o 161.1/161.0 and 156.0/156.1 ppm, espec i ely, by hei long- ange co ela ions wi h me hyl g oups. Ca bons C-2, C-6, C-8, and C-12 om a opisome s 1 and 2 we e a ibu ed o 164.0/163.7, 159.0/158.8, 161.7/161.6, and 157.0/156.9 ppm, espec- i ely, and by hei long-dis ance co ela ion (HMBC spec um) wi h he p o ons p esen a he N-me hyl g oup. We could no make an unequi ocal assignmen o ca bons C-3 and C-9 h ough NMR, because hese wo ca bons do no p esen any p o on in hei icini y (Fig.3). Mo eo e , he chemical shi o ca bon C-11 could only be de e mined using a 2D 13C-13C INADEQUATE expe imen , whe e he co ela ion be ween his ca bon wi h ca bon C-12 was obse ed. The appea ance o ca bon C-11 a high chemical shi s concu s wi h a ca bonyl g oup in ha posi ion. The esul s a e consis en wi h he s uc u e o he blue compound co esponding o 6′-hyd oxy-4,4′-dime hoxy-1,1′-dime hyl-5′- {[3,4,5- ihyd oxy-6-(hyd oxyme hyl) e ahyd o-2H-py an-2-yl] oxy}-[3,3′-bipy idine]-2,2′,5,6(1H,1′H)- e aone, a he midin-mono- glycosyla ed dime ha we would he ea e designa e as ch ozopho idin (Fig.3). This is a no able esul , conside ing ha p e iously, in M. pe ennis, he dime ic o ms o he midin we e associa ed wi h yellow and yellow-b own solu ions, whe eas he blue colo was based on a monome ic adical ansien species. To ge u he insigh in o he p oposed s uc u e and as a means o p edic i s blue colo , compu a ional calcula ions we e pe o med. Compu a ional calcula ions By explo ing he con o ma ional space o ch ozopho idin, 10 en- e ge ically a o ed isome s (local minima) we e ound wi h E< 1.0 kcal mol−1 ( able S1 epo s hei ela i e in e nal ene gy and bo h 1 and 2 alues a e op imiza ion in an aqueous en i onmen ). Table 1. API-LC-ESI-MS/MS da a o he majo and mino compounds ex ac ed om C. inc o ia ui s. Molecula ion and espec i e agmen s MS2 and MS3 ob ained by a mosphe ic p essu e ioniza ion (API)–LC–elec osp ay ioniza ion (ESI)–MS/MS (posi i e ion mode) ound in he blue ex ac o C. inc o ia ui s. R (min) Iden i y [M+] [MS2] [MS3] 8.29 He midin-glycoside 334 172 157 15.63 Peonidin-3-glucoside 463 301 20.33 He midin-de i a i e (blue dye) 501 339 307; 279; 254 52.36 Delphinidin-3- couma oylglucoside 611 303 52.67 Cyanidin-3- couma oylglucoside 595 449 287 60.07 Pela gonidin-3- couma oylglucoside 579 433 271 64.23 Peonidin-3- couma oylglucoside 609 463 301 on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 5 o 8 The a ious isome s o ch ozopho idin can be assembled in wo g oups based on hei dihed al alues (g oup I composed o isome s 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 ha ha e simila dihed al alues: 1=−61.1±1.5° and 2=83.0±0.9°, and g oup II composed by isome s 2, 6, and 7 ha ha e simila dihed al alues: 1=60.6±0.0° and 2=−80.9±0.3°). Each g oup can be ep esen ed by he mos he modynamically a- o ed a opisome s 1 and 2. A mix u e o bo h a opisome s is ex- pec ed because o hei e y small ene gy di e ence (0.004 kcal mol−1, which co esponds o 50.2% and 49.8% quan i ies o a opisome s 1 and 2, espec i ely, acco ding o he Maxwell-Bol zmann dis ibu ion, and using a empe a u e o 298 K). The analysis o he molecula s uc u es o bo h a opisome s in solu ion e ealed ha he elec- onic delocaliza ion p o ided by he pe pendicula o ien a ion o bo h a oma ic ings may be essen ial o hei o ma ion. Howe e , a opisome 2 has he B ing and he glucose g oup close o each o he o make one hyd ogen bond (as seen in Fig.4). This s e eo- chemical e ec may cause he sligh ene gy di e ence be ween he wo isome s. Time-dependen densi y unc ional heo y (TD-DFT) calcula ions we e pe o med o ob ain he UV-VIS abso p ion spec a o he wo a opisome s. max was e alua ed using a ious densi y unc- ionals (see able S4). I would appea ha in compa ison wi h ex- pe imen s, he Boese-Ma in o kine ics (BMK) densi y unc ional was he bes -pe o ming unc ional o bo h a opisome s (Fig.4 compa es hei p edic ed UV-VIS spec a wi h an expe imen al spec um a pH 7). Theo e ical and expe imen al spec a o e lap qui e well. The small disc epancy migh be he esul o e o s associa ed wi h he TD-DFT de e mina ion o max alues (28) and om he use o an implici sol en model app oach ins ead o an explici desc ip ion o he sol en molecules. The la e may a ec he in a- molecula in e ac ions and s abili y o he a opisome s (29). The spec al shi (max) o expe imen al da a ob ained in wa e (pH 7) is −23.8 and 5.0nm o a opisome s 1 and 2, espec i ely (Fig.4). Again, he hypsoch omic shi obse ed in he maximum abso p ion wa eleng h o a opisome 1in ela ion o a opisome 2 could be associa ed o he lowe p oximi y be ween he B ing and he glucose uni . The max o abso p ion, in he isible, is essen ially a ibu ed o he elec onic ansi ion om he highes occupied molecula o bi al (HOMO) o he lowes unoccupied molecula o bi al (LUMO). In bo h con o me s, he HOMO is sp ead h ough bo h A and B ings, while he LUMO is mainly dis ibu ed on B ing ( ig. S5). The ansi ion om HOMO o LUMO should ha e an in amolecula cha ge ans e cha ac e . Sligh MO dis ibu ion di e ences a e e- la ed wi h he ma ginally highe ene gy gap be ween HOMO and LUMO in isome 1in ela ion o isome 2 ( ig. S5). Wi h espec o he s abili y o he blue colo , i is in e es ing o no e ha he bond be ween he wo a oma ic ings may be iewed almos as a single bond (leng h o 1.464 Å in bo h con o me s). O e all, he UV-VIS spec a p edic ed o ch ozopho idin co - obo a es ha his dime is he cause o he blue/pu ple colo s (Fig.4). Po en ially, he blue colo is he esul o he abo emen ioned cha ge ans e . A opisome 1 A opisome 2 Fig. 3. Resul s o NMR (13C). S uc u e o he blue dye p esen in C. inc o ia ui s (shell), ch ozopho idin, and 13C zoomed spec a (bo om). Table 2. Essen ial NMR da a o he iden i ica ion o ch ozopho idin. 1H and 13C chemical shi s o he blue dye p esen in C. inc o ia ui s, de e mined in DMSO-d6:D2O (9:1). Posi ion  1Η (ppm); J (Hz)  13C (ppm)* A ing 1-N-CH33.12; s 27.4/27.5 2 C═O – 164.0/163.7 3 – 88.5/88.4 4 – 156.0/156.1 4-OCH33.71; 3.78; s 59.2/59.4 5 – 122.0/122.3 6 – 159.0/158.8 B ing 7-N-CH33.12; s 27.3/27.5 8 C═O – 161.7/161.6 9 – 128.4/127.7 10 – 161.1/161.0 10-OCH33.75; 3.77; s 60.8/61.0 11 C═O – 172.6/172.3 12 C=O – 157.0/156.9 Glucose moie y 1′ 4.32; d, 7.7/4.20; d, 7.5 108.3/108.7 2′ 3.13;†74.1/74.1 3′ 3.10;†77.4/77.5 4′ 2.90;†75.0/75.0 5′ 3.16;†76.9/76.9 6a′ 3.45; 61.3/61.5 6b′ 3.63; 61.3/61.5 *The ca bon signals a e duplica ed, which indica es ha a leas wo isome s a e p esen . †Un esol ed (supe posi ion). on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 6 o 8 DISCUSSION Knowledge was los on how o ex ac he blue colo om C. inc o ia, bu i was eco e ed h ough esea ch on medie al w i en sou ces on he a o pain ing, in pa icula , he a o illumina ing books (30,31). Following medie al ins uc ions, only he ui s we e col- lec ed be ween July and Sep embe , and ca e was aken o no g ind he seeds ha a e ound inside. The ex ac s hus ob ained p esen ed a blue dye as a majo ch omopho e ( ig. S3). Las , in he 21s cen u y, an in e disciplina y app oach led o he disco e y o a molecula s uc u e o he blue colo an ex ac ed om he ui s o C. inc o ia, namely, a he midin-based mono-glycosyla ed dime (Fig.3), named ch ozopho idin. Expe imen al da a and compu a ional quan um me- chanics s udies show ha his dime is ep esen ed by wo isome s, a opisome s 1 and 2 (Fig.4). Toge he wi h he blue he midin-based dime , se e al an hocyanins we e iden i ied o he i s ime (Table1 and igs. S3 and S4) and a e p esen as mino compounds. Ch ozo- pho idin was compa ed o he blue ound in a species om he same amily, M. pe ennis (dog’s me cu y), an old medicinal plan known mos ly h ough e hnomedicine (22). The blue ch omopho e in bo h species includes he he midin ing (Fig.1), bu in con as o he ansien adical species in M. pe ennis, he blue in C. inc o ia has a s able glycosyla ed dime ic s uc u e and is he e o e wa e soluble. To summa ize, his molecula s uc u e is key o iden i ying olium in wo ks o a and o s udying he s uc u al, elec onic, and eac i e p ope ies o his complex dye (32,33). This will pa e he way o e alua ing conse a ion condi ions and he de e mina ion and plan- ning o he bes p ese a ion s a egies. In conclusion, ch ozopho idin was used in ancien imes o make a beau i ul blue dye o pain ing, and i is nei he an an hocyanin— ound in many blue lowe s and ui s—no indigo, he mos s able na u al blue dye. I u ns ou o be in a class o i s own. Thus, we belie e ha his will be no ou inal wo d on his amazing plan and i s s o y and ha u he disco e ies will ollow soon. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ui s o C. inc o ia we e collec ed be ween July and Sep embe o 2016, 2017, and 2018, in Alen ejo (G anja/Mou ão), Po ugal (by A.C., F.P., M.J.M., and P.N.). The coo dina es we e p o ided by (34). F esh ui s (160 g) we e ex ac ed wi h 4li e s o me hanol:wa e (70:30, / ) du ing 2 hou s unde s i ing, gi ing ise o a deep blue–colo ed solu ion. Me hanol was e apo a ed unde acuum, and he ob ained c ude blue ex ac was analyzed by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS. Fo he cha ac e iza ion o he blue dye, he ex ac was u he pu i ied. In a i s s ep, by applying he ull ex ac o a e e sed- phase C18 silica gel in a Büchne unnel unde acuum (G3 po osi y) washed wi h deionized wa e , i was possible o obse e he elu ion o yellow compounds and hen he blue ac ion was eco e ed slowly wi h wa e . This blue ac ion was concen a ed in a o oe apo a o and hen was pu i ied, wice, by low-p essu e column ch oma og aphy using he same C18-RP gel as s a iona y phase (250mm × 16mm inside diame e ) and deionized wa e as a mobile phase. The pu i ied blue ac ion was lyophilized, and he blue powde ob ained was analyzed by NMR, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-DAD-MS, GC-MS, and EPR. Fig. 4. Analysis o he he modynamically a o ed a opoisome s o ch ozopho idin, in solu ion. Molecules a e depic ed as s icks and colo ed by a om ype. (A) A ing, B ing, and glucose ing a e colo ed in ed, o ange, and g een, espec i ely. Bo h 1 and 2 dihed als and hyd ogen bonds a e also indica ed. (B) Supe posi ion o he A ing o he wo molecules. Colo ed by elemen (a opisome 1) and g een (a opisome 2). (C) UV-VIS spec a (wa e , pH 7, blue) o ch ozopho idin compa ed wi h he p edic ed spec a [Boese-Ma in o kine ics (BMK) unc ional] o a opisome s 1 (black) and 2 (g een). on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 7 o 8 The ini ial geome y o ch ozopho idin was buil wi h he GaussView so wa e (35–37). Geome y op imiza ions we e ca ied ou , and he mos ene ge ically a o ed isome s (local minima wi h E<1.0 kcal mol−1) we e u he op imized in sol en . TD-DFT single-poin calcula ions we e applied o de e mine he UV-VIS ab- so p ion spec a o he wo mos ene ge ically s able a opisome s o ch ozopho idin. All calcula ions we e pe o med by he Gaussian 09 package (38). Fo comp ehensi e de ails, please see he Supple- men a y Ma e ials. 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Funding: This wo k was suppo ed by he Associa e Labo a o y o G een Chemis y-LAQV, which is inanced by na ional unds om FCT/MCTES (UID/QUI/50006/2019), and by p ojec STEMMA—F om singing o w i ing—su ey on ma e ial p oduc ion and ou es o Galician-Po uguese Ly ic, PTDC/LLT-EGL/30984/2017. J.O. and N.F.B. hank he FCT o hei IF g an (IF/00225/2015 and IF/01355/2014, espec i ely). N.T. hanks con ac REQUIMTE/EEC2018/PTDC/QUI-OUT/29925/2017, wi hin he p ojec “Polyphenols in on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om Nabais e al., Sci. Ad . 2020; 6 : eaaz7772 17 Ap il 2020 SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE 8 o 8 A : chemis y and biology hand in hand wi h conse a ion o cul u al he i age,” PTDC/ QUI-OUT/29925/2017, and P.N. hanks Ph.D. g an wi hin he CORES Ph.D. p og amme (PD/ BD/105895/2014). Au ho con ibu ions: Expe imen al wo k: P.N., J.O., F.P., N.T., A.C., M.R., A.M.S.S., and M.J.M.; compu a ional wo k: N.F.B.; p ojec de elopmen and unding: V.d.F., F.P., and M.J.M. Compe ing in e es s: The au ho s decla e ha hey ha e no compe ing in e es s. Da a and ma e ials a ailabili y: All da a needed o e alua e he conclusions in he pape a e p esen in he pape and/o he Supplemen a y Ma e ials. Addi ional da a ela ed o his pape may be eques ed om he au ho s. Submi ed 8 Oc obe 2019 Accep ed 22 Janua y 2020 Published 17 Ap il 2020 10.1126/sciad .aaz7772 Ci a ion: P. Nabais, J. Oli ei a, F. Pina, N. Teixei a, V. de F ei as, N. F. B ás, A. Clemen e, M. Rangel, A. M. S. Sil a, M. J. Melo, A 1000-yea -old mys e y sol ed: Unlocking he molecula s uc u e o he medie al blue om Ch ozopho a inc o ia, also known as olium. Sci. Ad . 6, eaaz7772 (2020). on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om , also known as oliumCh ozopho a inc o ia A 1000-yea -old mys e y sol ed: Unlocking he molecula s uc u e o he medie al blue om P. Nabais, J. Oli ei a, F. Pina, N. Teixei a, V. de F ei as, N. F. B ás, A. Clemen e, M. Rangel, A. M. S. Sil a and M. J. Melo DOI: 10.1126/sciad .aaz7772 (16), eaaz7772.6Sci Ad ARTICLE TOOLS h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/con en /a chi e/6/16/eaaz7772/1 MATERIALS SUPPLEMENTARY h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/con en /suppl/2020/04/13/6.16.eaaz7772.DC1 REFERENCES h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/con en /a chi e/6/16/eaaz7772/1#BIBL This a icle ci es 22 a icles, 0 o which you can access o ee PERMISSIONS h p://www.sciencemag.o g/help/ ep in s-and-pe missions Te ms o Se iceUse o his a icle is subjec o he is a egis e ed adema k o AAAS.Science Ad ancesYo k A enue NW, Washing on, DC 20005. The i le (ISSN 2375-2548) is published by he Ame ican Associa ion o he Ad ancemen o Science, 1200 NewScience Ad ances License 4.0 (CC BY-NC). Science. No claim o o iginal U.S. Go e nmen Wo ks. Dis ibu ed unde a C ea i e Commons A ibu ion NonComme cial Copy igh © 2020 The Au ho s, some igh s ese ed; exclusi e licensee Ame ican Associa ion o he Ad ancemen o on Ma ch 4, 2021h p://ad ances.sciencemag.o g/Downloaded om