Evaluation of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Yeasts Commonly Found During Environmental Monitoring | Charles River

Introduction An ideal environmental monitoring (EM) program should have the ability to detect and identify all categories of microbes – bacteria, yeasts and molds. The following study focuses on identifying yeasts commonly found during environmental monitoring. Yeasts belong to the kingdom of fungi and are placed in the phyla of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. They are typically single-celled organisms that reproduce by fission or budding. Yeasts have been central to one of the earliest biological process developed for human use due to their ability to ferment carbohydrates into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Their widespread application in products related to beverages, food and pharmaceuticals – to name a few – have raised their commercial relevance. Alternatively, yeasts can be opportunistic pathogens causing mild to life-threatening infections1 from varied sources, such as a human commensal (e.g., Candida albicans in the human gut) or the environment (e.g., Cryptococcus neoformans in soil or bird droppings). Therefore, both in beneficial and harmful ways, yeasts are important organisms for humans. Whether it is for diagnosing a patient with a potential yeast infection, or for an EM program in a manufacturing facility, accurate identification (ID) is key to guiding appropriate therapy or remediation activities, respectively. For an EM program, this information can be used to track and trend the facility’s microflora, and establish microbial alert and action limits2.