@article{b259cc9c288b4144a9708d96217102d8,
title = "Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry in clinical microbiology",
abstract = "Despite widespread application of nucleic acid diagnostics, cultures remain integral in modern laboratories. Because cultures detect a large number of organism types, it is unlikely that they will disappear from clinical practice in the near future. Their downside is slow turn-around time, impacted by time to growth and identification of that growth. The latter is expedited using a new proteomic technology, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).",
keywords = "Bacteria, Fungi, MALDI-TOF, Mass spectrometry, Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight",
author = "Robin Patel",
note = "Funding Information: Figure 2. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometer. The target plate is placed into the ionization chamber of the mass spectrometer. Spots to be analyzed are shot by an ultraviolet N2 laser desorbing microbial and matrix molecules from the target plate. The majority of energy is absorbed by the matrix, converting it to an ionized state. Through random collision in the gas phase, charge is transferred from matrix to microbial molecules. The cloud of ionized molecules is funneled through a positively charged electrostatic field into the time of flight mass analyzer, a tube under vacuum. The ions travel toward an ion detector with small analytes traveling fastest, followed by progressively larger analytes. As ions emerge from the mass analyzer, they collide with an ion detector generating a mass spectrum representing the number of ions hitting the detector over time. Although separation is by mass-to-charge ratio, because the charge is typically single for the described application, separation is effectively by molecular weight. Reproduced by permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.",
year = "2013",
month = aug,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1093/cid/cit247",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "57",
pages = "564--572",
journal = "Clinical Infectious Diseases",
issn = "1058-4838",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "4",
}