Patent ID: 6177266
Filing Date: 2001-01-23
Classification: G16B,H01J,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for generating biomarkers specific for a known genus, species, or strain of bacteria comprising:(a) mixing a bacteria sample comprising a suspension of whole cells of known genus, species or strain with a matrix solution to generate a sample mixture;(b) placing an aliquot of said sample mixture on the probe tip of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and allowing it to dry;(c) irradiating the dried aliquot with a nitrogen laser to form ionized biopolymers;(d) accelerating the ionized biopolymers by an electric field toward a detector through the flight tube of the time-of-flight mass spectrometer to obtain a mass spectra;(e) averaging the mass spectra resulting from 100 to 200 laser pulses;(f) repeating steps (a)-(e) with at least one other, nonidentical bacteria sample comprising a suspension of whole cells of the same genus, species or strain;(g) comparing the averaged mass spectra obtained for each bacteria sample;(h) identifying at least one ion that is common to each bacteria sample; and(i) assigning an m/z measurement of the ion as a genus, species, or strain specific biomarker.