Patent ID: 8969251
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: B01D,B01J,C40B,G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method for assaying phenotypic similarity or dissimilarity of an assayed organism compared to that of a standard organism comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite sample comprised of an admixture of substantially equal amounts of first and second samples, said first sample being a standard sample that is comprised of average concentrations of a majority of constituent compounds having a molecular mass of less than about 1000 AMU that are present in a representative sample of the organism species whose phenotype is to be assayed, said constituent compounds (i) being dissolved or dispersed in a first liquid medium, and (ii) each constituent compound being comprised of the same first predetermined amounts of said second sample being an assay sample that is comprised of constituent compounds having a molecular mass of less than about 1000 AMU that are present in a representative sample of the organism whose phenotype is to be assayed, said constituent compounds (i) being dissolved or dispersed in a second liquid medium, and (ii) each constituent compound being comprised of the same second predetermined amounts of b) mass spectroscopically analyzing said composite sample for isotopic patterns of analyte peaks to identify a majority isotopic peak of the first sample and a majority isotopic peak of the second sample, for each analyzed analyte; (c) determining the ratio of the majority analyte peak from said first sample to the majority analyte peak from said second sample for each analyzed analyte, to determine an isotopic peak ratio for each analyzed analyte; (d) determining the composite sample median analyte peak isotopic ratio; and (e) determining the phenotypic similarity or dissimilarity of the assayed organism to the standard organism by comparing the isotopic peak ratio determined in step (c) for each analyzed analyte with the composite sample median analyte peak isotopic ratio, wherein an assayed organism whose analyte isotopic peak ratios significantly deviate from the composite sample median analyte peak isotopic ratio is phenotypically dissimilar from the standard organism, and an assayed organism whose analyte isotopic peak ratios do not significantly deviate from the composite sample median analyte peak isotopic ratio is phenotypically similar to the standard organism.