Detection of Species-Specific Lipids by Routine MALDI TOF Mass Spectrometry to Unlock the Challenges of Microbial Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Markus Kostrzewa¹  Gerald Larrouy-Maumus²  Vera Solntceva² 

[1] Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Bremen, Germany;MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom;

关键词: matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization;    lipids;    diagnostics;    drug resistance;    gram-negative;    gram-positive;    mycobacteria;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcimb.2020.621452

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has revolutionized clinical microbiology diagnostics by delivering accurate, fast, and reliable identification of microorganisms. It is conventionally based on the detection of intracellular molecules, mainly ribosomal proteins, for identification at the species-level and/or genus-level. Nevertheless, for some microorganisms (e.g., for mycobacteria) extensive protocols are necessary in order to extract intracellular proteins, and in some cases a protein-based approach cannot provide sufficient evidence to accurately identify the microorganisms within the same genus (e.g., Shigella sp. vs E. coli and the species of the M. tuberculosis complex). Consequently lipids, along with proteins are also molecules of interest. Lipids are ubiquitous, but their structural diversity delivers complementary information to the conventional protein-based clinical microbiology matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) based approaches currently used. Lipid modifications, such as the ones found on lipid A related to polymyxin resistance in Gram-negative pathogens (e.g., phosphoethanolamine and aminoarabinose), not only play a role in the detection of microorganisms by routine MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry but can also be used as a read-out of drug susceptibility. In this review, we will demonstrate that in combination with proteins, lipids are a game-changer in both the rapid detection of pathogens and the determination of their drug susceptibility using routine MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry systems.

【 授权许可】

CC BY