Ultraviolet (IUV) and mass spectrometry (IMS) imaging for the deconvolution of microbial interactions

BACKGROUND: Spatial localization of natural products or proteins during microbial interactions can help to identify new antimicrobials both as offensive or defensive agents. Visible spatial interactions have been used for decades to enhance Drug Discovery processes both in industry and academia. RESULTS: Herein we describe an automated micro-extraction methodology, that coupled with the previously described HPLC-Studio 2.0 software and the new development, the MASS-Studio 1.0 software, can combine multiple chemical analyses to generate ultraviolet (UV) and mass spectrometry (MS) images from traditional affordable analytical equipment. As a proof of concept, we applied this methodology on two microbial antagonisms observed among co-habitant endophytes isolated from endemic plants of arid areas of the south of Europe. CONCLUSIONS: The use of UV and MS images highlighted interacting naturals products and allowed clear identification of induced molecules of interest not produced by the strains when cultured individually.