MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for the Indentification of Bacteria

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is an emerging technology for rapid bacteria identification. Specific mass spectral profiles are obtained by directly analysing whole bacterial cells or suitable protein extracts. Mass spectra are used to perform searches in dedicated libraries by means of specific bioinformatics tools to achieve bacterial identification at the genus, species and, in some cases, subspecies level. The performance of MALDI-TOF MS is very attractive considering its accuracy, efficiency, rapidity and cost-effectiveness. Recent significant advancements of this technique, in terms of development of comprehensive software tools and widening of bacterial reference databases (which nowadays include mass spectra of thousand of bacterial species), let foresee its widespread use as a routine method for microbiological control in clinical, pharmacological, food and environmental fields.