Rapid Characterization of Microorganisms by Mass Spectrometry—What Can Be Learned and How?

Strategies for the rapid and reliable analysis of microorganisms have been sought to meet national needs in defense, homeland security, space exploration, food and water safety, and clinical diagnosis. Mass spectrometry has long been a candidate technique because it is extremely rapid and can provide highly specific information. It has excellent sensitivity. Molecular and fragment ion masses provide detailed fingerprints, which can also be interpreted. Mass spectrometry is also a broad band method—everything has a mass—and it is automatable. Mass spectrometry is a physiochemical method that is orthogonal and complementary to biochemical and morphological methods used to characterize microorganisms. [Image: see text]