title: Optimized application of surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS to differentiate Francisella tularensis at the level of subspecies and individual strains.
abstract: Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularaemia, is a potential agent of bioterrorism. The phenotypic discrimination of the closely related F. tularensis subspecies and individual strains with traditional methods is difficult and time consuming, often producing ambiguous results. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS (SELDI-TOF MS) was used in this study to discriminate the different species and subspecies of the genus Francisella. We tested 18 Francisella strains including at least one representative of each species/subspecies on four different types of chromatographic chip surfaces. Multivariate analysis (hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis) allowed grouping of the strains according to their designated subspecies. Furthermore, single strains within F. tularensis subspecies could be discriminated.
authors: Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstr, München, Germany. erikseibold@bundeswehr.org
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Seibold
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Bogumil
authors: Sonja
authors: S
authors: Vorderwülbecke
authors: Sascha
authors: S
authors: Al Dahouk
authors: Arno
authors: A
authors: Buckendahl
authors: Herbert
authors: H
authors: Tomaso
authors: Wolf
authors: W
authors: Splettstoesser
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D007834:Lasers; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D040081:Protein Array Analysis; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*