Untargeted metabolomics-like screening approach for chemical characterization and differentiation of canopic jar and mummy samples from Ancient Egypt using GC-high resolution MS
Untargeted metabolomics-like screening approach for chemical characterization and differentiation of canopic jar and mummy samples from Ancient Egypt using GC-high resolution MS
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DOI：
10.1039/c8an01288a
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发表时间：
2018-09-21
期刊：
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Kraemer, Thomas
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Brockbals, Lana;Habicht, Michael;Kraemer, Thomas
在古埃及，对尸体和特定的内脏进行防腐处理是一种常见的做法，以确保永生。所采用的防腐液的确切性质，特别是用于canopic罐内的器官保存，是有争议的。因此，本研究的目的是使用气相色谱-高分辨率质谱法（GC-HR MS）和新的非靶向代谢组学样筛选方法对canopic罐（n = 28）和木乃伊（n = 6）进行化学表征和区分;作为古埃及人体组织更大规模微创跨学科研究的一部分。分析后数据处理包括去卷积、根据NIST 14光谱数据库以及高分辨率代谢组学库进行筛选以及阳性峰评价。在大多数样品中，针叶树树脂的存在下，通过检测到长叶松与松香酸衍生物和愈创木酚的组合。在10个样品中检测到蜂蜡，这是一种用于象征性原因和/或作为粘合剂的石蜡。先前文献中未提及但在当前样本集中确定的是医学相关物质，如茴香成分、水杨酸、甘菊环和雅各宾。通过首次将非目标代谢组学方法应用于考古样本，可以进行广泛的统计分析（使用已识别和未识别的特征;总计4381个特征），使用主成分分析（PCA）和偏最小二乘判别分析（PLS-DA）显示canopic jar和木乃伊样本的整体化学成分存在显着差异。这强调了在未来进行更广泛的冠状动脉罐研究的必要性，以便正确解释研究结果。
In Ancient Egypt it was common practice to embalm corpses and specific internal organs to ensure eternal life. The exact nature of the employed embalming fluids, particularly for organ preservation within the canopic jars, is debated. Therefore, the aim of the current study, was to chemically characterize and differentiate canopic jars (n = 28) and mummies (n = 6) using gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HR MS) with a new untargeted metabolomics-like screening approach; as part of a larger minimal-invasive transdisciplinary study on Ancient Egyptian human tissues. Post-analytical data processing included deconvolution, screening against the NIST 14 spectral database as well as a high resolution metabolomics library, and positive peak evaluation. In the majority of samples the presence of a coniferous resin was indicated by the detection of longiborneol in combination with abietadiene acid derivatives and guajacol. Beeswax, proposedly used for symbolic reasons and/or as a binding agent, was detected in 10 samples. Previously not mentioned in the literature, but identified in the current sample set, were medical-related substances like aniseed constituents, salicylic acid, chamazulene and jacobine. By applying an untargeted metabolomics-like approach to archaeological samples for the first time, extensive statistical analysis was made possible (using both identified and non-identified features; adding up to 4381 features), which showed significant differences in the overall chemical composition of canopic jar and mummy samples using principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). This emphasizes the necessity for more extensive canopic jar studies in the future in order to interpret findings correctly.