Strain-level visualized analysis of cold-stressed Vibrio parahaemolyticus based on MALDI-TOF mass fingerprinting

• Peptide fingerprint profiles of cold-stressed Vibrio parahaemolyticus were analyzed at strain level.
• The variety of cold-stressed V. parahaemolyticus strains were visualized.
• The findings can promote an overall understanding of bacterial resistance to cold stress.

In this study, strain-level visualized analysis of cold-stressed Vibrio parahaemolyticus based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass fingerprinting was investigated. All the peptide mass fingerprinting profiles obtained were analyzed by self-organized map (SOM) and cluster analysis. Our results showed that the peptide mass fingerprinting profiles of V. parahaemolyticus substantially changed under cold stress at strain level. The cold-stressed V. parahaemolyticus strains were distributed to 14 neurons by SOM classification, almost totally different from the controls. This is the first time that so many strains had been chosen to study bacterial cold stress responses, which can help promote an overall understanding to stress responses of cold-stressed strains.