Custom Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometric Database for Identification of Environmental Isolates of the Genus and Related Genera.

Success of discovery programs for microbial natural products is dependent on quick and concise discrimination between isolates from diverse environments. However, laboratory isolation and identification of priority genera using current 16S rRNA PCR-based methods are both challenging and time-consuming. An emerging strategy for rapid isolate discrimination is protein fingerprinting via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry.