We described the impact of the capsule size for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii identification at the species level by Bruker matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). After experimental capsule size modulation, we observed that reducing the capsule size resulted in improved identification by Bruker MALDI-TOF MS across all of th...

A combination of LC and MS was applied to an isogenic breast tumor metastasis model to identify proteins associated with a cellular phenotype. Chromatofocusing followed by nonporous-RP-HPLC/ESI-TOF MS was applied to cell lysates of a pair of monoclonal cell lines from the human breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-435 that have different metastatic phenotypes in immune-compromised mice. This metho...

Francisella tularensis is the cause of the zoonotic disease tularemia and is classifi ed among highly pathogenic bacteria (HPB) due to its low infection dose and potential for airborne transmission. In the case of HBP, there is a pressing need for rapid, accurate and reliable identifi cation. Phenotypic identifi cation of Francisella species is inappropriate for clinical microbiology laboratori...

MALDI-TOF MS can rapidly identify microorganisms to the species level and may be able to detect antimicrobial resistance. We evaluated the ability of this technology to detect triazole resistance in Candida species.35 C. albicans, 35 C. glabrata, and 37 C. tropicalis strains were exposed to fluconazole, voriconazole, or posaconazole at two different concentrations plus a drug-free control: a mi...

• Here we present an N-terminal derivatization approach, using TMPP-Ac-Osu that improves the HPLC performance for small hydrophilic phosphopeptides. • This approach is compatible with LC/MS and LC/MALDI. • The chromatographic enhancement was evaluated by on-line nanoscale HPLC coupled with Electrospray on a Q-Tof PremierTM. • LC-MALDI/MS/MS analysis was also investigated. Both MS/MS on a Q-Tof ...

There are tow major methods that are widely used for protein identification by mass spectrometry: MALDI-TOF based protein fingerprinting and LC-MS/MS based peptide sequencing. In the MALDI-TOF based protein fingerprinting method, a sample is digested with certain proteolytic enzyme (usually trypsin) and one MS spectrum is acquired which generates the massed of all peptides (or MH+), and these m...

BACKGROUND The role of microbial colonization in disease is complex. Novel molecular tools to detect colonization offer theoretical improvements over traditional methods. We evaluated PCR/Electrospray Ionization-Time-of-Flight-Mass Spectrometry (PCR/ESI-TOF-MS) as a screening tool to study colonization of healthy military service members. METHODS We assessed 101 healthy Soldiers using PCR/ESI...

Dear Editor, Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is widely applied for the rapid identification of bacterial species [1]. However, an antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) should be performed by using conventional methods following MALDI-TOF MS, and this delay represents a significant hurdle for the rapid adjustment of administered antim...

Rare nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli, such as Chryseobacterium indologenes and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, have clinical importance in nosocomial infections and cystic fibrosis (CF), and their identification is a challenge to microbiology laboratories. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify the performance of phenotypic and mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted desorption ionizati...