Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) Analysis for the Identification of Pathogenic Microorganisms: A Review
Journal
Microorganisms
Journal Volume
9
Journal Issue
7
Date Issued
2021-07-19
Author(s)
Chen, Xin-Fei
Hou, Xin
Xiao, Meng
Zhang, Li
Cheng, Jing-Wei
Zhou, Meng-Lan
Huang, Jing-Jing
Zhang, Jing-Jia
Xu, Ying-Chun
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been used in the field of clinical microbiology since 2010. Compared with the traditional technique of biochemical identification, MALDI-TOF MS has many advantages, including convenience, speed, accuracy, and low cost. The accuracy and speed of identification using MALDI-TOF MS have been increasing with the development of sample preparation, database enrichment, and algorithm optimization. MALDI-TOF MS has shown promising results in identifying cultured colonies and rapidly detecting samples. MALDI-TOF MS has critical research applications for the rapid detection of highly virulent and drug-resistant pathogens. Here we present a scientific review that evaluates the performance of MALDI-TOF MS in identifying clinical pathogenic microorganisms. MALDI-TOF MS is a promising tool in identifying clinical microorganisms, although some aspects still require improvement.
Subjects
matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS); pathogenic microorganism identification
SDGs
Type
review