Methods for identifying bacteria

摘要

The present invention provides methods for identifying bacteria by analysis of lipid A and/or lipoteichoic acid structure and/or mass spectrometry ionization patterns.

主权项

1. A method for identifying bacteria to at least the genus level of classification, comprising
(a) loading a sample containing bacteria or a bacterial extract into a mass spectrometer instrument; (b) vaporizing the sample of (a); (c) ionizing the vaporized sample of (b) to produce precursor ions; (d) separating the precursor ions of (c) according to the mass-to-charge ratio; (e) detecting separated ions of (d) having values of between about 1000 m/z and about 2200 m/z; (f) preparing precursor ion mass spectrometry (PIMS) spectra on the detected ions of (e), wherein the precursor ions are precursor ions of (i) lipid A (LA) or parent glycolipids thereof, or (ii) lipoteichoic acid (LTA) or parent glycolipids thereof, or both (i) and (ii), and wherein the PIMS spectra is PIMS spectra for (i) or (ii), or both (i) and (ii); and (g) identifying bacteria in the sample to at least the genus level of classification by comparing the PIMS spectra prepared in (f) to a database of bacterial PIMS spectra.