title: Can MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry Reasonably Type Bacteria?
abstract: Bacterial typing is crucial to tackle the spread of bacterial pathogens but current methods are time-consuming and costly. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been recently integrated into the microbiology laboratory workflow for a quick and low-cost microbial species identification. Independent research groups have successfully redirected the original function of this technology from their primary purpose to discriminate subgroups within pathogen species. However, identical bacterial subgroups could be identified by unrelated peaks by independent methods, thus limiting their robustness and exportability. We propose several guidelines that could improve the performance of MALDI-TOF MS-based typing methods for use as a first-line epidemiological tool.
authors.affiliation: Hygiène Hospitalière, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; Centre de Ressources Biologiques - Filière Microbiologie de Besançon, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. Electronic address: msauget@chu-besancon.fr.
authors.forename: Marlène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sauget
authors.affiliation: UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valot
authors.affiliation: Hygiène Hospitalière, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; Centre de Ressources Biologiques - Filière Microbiologie de Besançon, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.affiliation: Hygiène Hospitalière, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; Centre de Ressources Biologiques - Filière Microbiologie de Besançon, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Besançon, France; UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hocquet
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015415:Biomarkers; D013045:Species Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Bacteria; Escherichia coli; MALDI-TOF MS; Staphylococcus aureus; Typing