APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

摘要

Methods and systems for identification of microorganisms either after isolation from a culture or directly from a sample. The methods and systems are configured to identify microorganisms based on the characterization of proteins of the microorganisms via high-resolution/mass accuracy single-stage (MS) or multi-stage (MSn) mass spectrometry. Included herein are also discussion of targeted detection and evaluation of virulence factors, antibiotic resistance markers, antibiotic susceptibility markers, typing, or other characteristics using a method applicable to substantially all microorganisms and high-resolution/mass accuracy single-stage (MS) or multi-stage (MSn) mass spectrometry.

主权项

1. A method for identifying and characterizing one or more unknown microbes in a sample, the method comprising:
a. performing a first analytical method using mass spectrometry to detect and identify one or more proteins from each of the one or more microbes; b. using the identity of the one or more proteins from each of the one or more microbes to assign a potential identity for at least one of the microbes in the sample to the genus species level; c. using information from step (b) to automatically select a second analytical method from a list of analytical methods, the second method also using mass spectrometry; d. performing the second analytical method on the sample to further identify and, optionally, quantify, one or more proteins indicative of any of: strain and/or serovar identification, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial susceptibility and/or virulence, or any combination thereof;
wherein neither the first analytical method nor the second analytical method includes chemical or enzymatic digestion of the proteins; andwherein further, at least the first analytical method is performed in real time.