Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9746736 | International Journal of Mass Spectrometry | 2005 | 19 Pages |
Abstract
In this work, we describe a strategy for the detection and characterization of microorganisms associated with a potential biological warfare attack or a natural outbreak of an emerging infectious disease. This approach, termed TIGER (Triangulation Identification for the Genetic Evaluation of Risks), relies on mass spectrometry-derived base composition signatures obtained from PCR amplification of broadly conserved regions of the microbial genome(s) in a sample. The sample can be derived from air filtration devices, clinical samples, or other sources. Core to this approach are “intelligent PCR primers” that target broadly conserved regions of microbial genomes that flank variable regions. This approach requires that high-performance mass measurements be made on PCR products in the 80-140Â bp size range in a high-throughput, robust modality. As will be demonstrated, the concept is equally applicable to bacteria and viruses and could be further applied to fungi and protozoa. In addition to describing the fundamental strategy of this approach, several specific examples of TIGER are presented that illustrate the impact this approach could have on the way biological weapons attacks are detected and the way that the etiologies of infectious diseases are determined. The first example illustrates how any bacterial species might be identified, using Bacillus anthracis as the test agent. The second example demonstrates how DNA-genome viruses are identified using five members of Poxviridae family, whose members includes Variola virus, the agent responsible for smallpox. The third example demonstrates how RNA-genome viruses are identified using the Alphaviruses (VEE, WEE, and EEE) as representative examples. These examples illustrate how the TIGER technology can be applied to create a universal identification strategy for all pathogens, including those that infect humans, livestock, and plants.
Keywords
CDCVEEFWHMEEETOFUSDASNPsCytidineFTICRWestern equine encephalitisESI–MSAdenosineVenezuelan equine encephalitisEastern equine encephalitisElectrospray Ionization Mass SpectrometryTigerBiosensorPathogen detectionfull-width half-maximumThymidinebase pairUnited States Department of AgricultureFourier transform ion cyclotron resonanceTime-of-Flight BiodefenseBiological weaponInfectious diseaseCenters for Disease ControlMicrobepolymerase chain reactionPCRweeSingle nucleotide polymorphismsguanosine
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Authors
Steven A. Hofstadler, Rangarajan Sampath, Lawrence B. Blyn, Mark W. Eshoo, Thomas A. Hall, Yun Jiang, Jared J. Drader, James C. Hannis, Kristin A. Sannes-Lowery, Lendell L. Cummins, Brian Libby, Demetrius J. Walcott, Amy Schink, Christian Massire,