Surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) as a phenotypic method for rapid identification of antibiotic resistance

Based on experiments with 10 defined strains of Escherichia coli, we present a new method for bacterial phenotyping using SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Changes in bacterial protein profiles in the context of the time of cultivation and the antibiotic environment were minimal. Proteom subprofiling may further distinguish between strains with specific susceptibility to antimicrobials. Mass spec-based methods may become common in the future of bacterial pathogen identification in clinical microbiology diagnostics.