Nucleic Acid Amplification Coupled with Mass Spectrometry Detection for Microbial Identification

Advancements in molecular biology, such as nucleic acid amplification (NAA), including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, have revolutionized the field of microbial identification. The genome sequence, gene structure, and gene function of most medically relevant microorganisms are well established. In the postgenomic era, a wide array of high-speed and high-throughput nucleic acid technologies for microbial detection, identification, genotyping, and quantification, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determination have been developed. Mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized clinical microbiology diagnostics by delivering accurate, sensitive, automated, and high-throughput analyses of clinical samples. Coupling of NAA with MS takes advantage of the high amplification power of the former and the high mass-resolving capacity of the latter. NAA MS is thus one of the most promising technologies for microbial detection, identification, genotyping, and quantification, and AMR determination in the years to come. This review chapter focuses on the recent advances in pathogen detection and identification combining NAA and MS.