A Simple and Safe Protocol for Preparing Brucella Samples for Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis

J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Feb;54(2):449-52. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02730-15. Epub 2015 Nov 18.

Abstract

We describe a simple protocol to inactivate the biosafety level 3 (BSL3) pathogens Brucella prior to their analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. This method is also effective for several other bacterial pathogens and allows storage, and eventually shipping, of inactivated samples; therefore, it might be routinely applied to unidentified bacteria, for the safety of laboratory workers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brucella* / drug effects
  • Brucellosis / diagnosis*
  • Brucellosis / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Viability* / drug effects
  • Solvents
  • Specimen Handling* / methods
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization* / methods

Substances

  • Solvents

Grants and funding

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université de Montpellier, and Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) provided funding to David O’Callaghan through recurrent (yearly) sources. This work was also partially sponsored by bioMérieux, through a private research contract.