Structure of commelinin, a blue complex pigment from the blue flowers of Commelina communis

Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2008;84(10):452-6. doi: 10.2183/pjab.84.452.

Abstract

The X-ray crystal structure of natural commelinin is investigated. The results demonstrate that commelinin is a tetranuclear (4 Mg(2+)) metal complex, in which two Mg(2+) ions chelate to six anthocyanin molecules, while the other two Mg(2+) ions bind to six flavone molecules, stabilizing the commelinin complex, a new type of supramolecular complex.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Commelina / chemistry*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Flavones / chemistry*
  • Flavones / metabolism
  • Flavonoids / chemistry*
  • Flavonoids / metabolism
  • Flowers / chemistry*
  • Glucosides / chemistry*
  • Glucosides / metabolism
  • Metals / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Pigmentation*
  • Pigments, Biological / chemistry*
  • Pigments, Biological / metabolism

Substances

  • Flavones
  • Flavonoids
  • Glucosides
  • Metals
  • Pigments, Biological
  • delphinidin 3-O-(6-O-p-coumaroylglucoside)-5-O-(6-O-malonylglucoside)
  • swertisin 4'-O-glucoside