Detection of substrate-specific markers for metabolically versatile bacteria by whole-cell MALDI-TOF MS analysis

ANYL 317

Kerry Preston, kpreston@cdc.gov1, Frank Loeffler2, Adrian Woolfitt1, Hercules Moura1, Sara Henry2, Qingzhong Wu2, Youlboong Sung2, and John R. Barr, jbb0@cdc.gov1. (1) National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Mailstop F-47, Atlanta, GA 30341, (2) Department of Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Bldg, Room 3228, Atlanta, GA 30332
Analysis of whole cells by MALDI-TOF MS is an emerging technique for rapid characterization and classification of microorganisms. For this study, cells were harvested from cultures of several strains of Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans, along with members of closely related genera. Acetate and fumarate were provided as substrates; A. dehalogenans strain 2CP-C was also grown with several different electron acceptors. Spectra of whole cells mixed with sinapinic acid matrix were acquired with an AB 4700 TOF-TOF Proteomics Analyzer in linear positive ion mode. Instrument parameters were set to preferentially ionize proteins and peptides in the 2 to 14 kDa range. Using the Random Forest classification algorithm, mass profiles were successfully grouped down to the strain level. Additionally, unique profiles were reproducibly obtained depending on the substrate provided. These results are significant because A. dehalogenans is capable of utilizing a variety of pollutants for growth and has potential for use in bioremediation applications.
 

Analytical Approaches: Mass Spectrometry
8:30 AM-11:20 AM, Thursday, 14 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 124, Oral

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006