title: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: usefulness for taxonomy and epidemiology.
abstract: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful tool for the species and subspecies classification of a broad spectrum of bacteria, including Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Listeria, and Gram-negative bacteria such as Neisseria, Salmonella, Aeromonas, Campylobacter and Helicobacter. MALDI-TOF MS has also been used for the rapid identification and typing of potential bioterrorism agents, including Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis and Bacillus anthracis.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA. Pmurray@cc.nih.gov
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D023482:Bioterrorism; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins