Rapid identification of Streptomyces isolates by MALDI-TOF MS

The recent emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria over the last decade has led to a renewal in the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs. Streptomyces members are practically unlimited sources of new antibiotics. However, the identification of Streptomyces species is difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, there is a need for alternative methods for their rapid identification. In this study, an efficient protocol of identification using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was developed and applied for the rapid identification of Streptomyces isolates from the El Kala lakes in northeastern Algeria. A collection of 48 Streptomyces isolates were used for this study. The optimized procedure allowed us to obtain specific and reproducible protein spectra for each Streptomyces isolate tested. The spectra generated were used to build a preliminary local database based on their initial 16S rRNA identification. The blind test used for the identification of 20 Streptomyces strains already available in our created database and 20 unknown Streptomyces isolates showed that all (100%) of the Streptomyces strains listed in the database were rapidly (<30 min) identified with high scores of up to 2.8. Here, for the first time we showed that MALDI-TOF MS could be used as a cost-effective tool for the rapid identification of Streptomyces isolates.