Schaumann Reiner, Dallacker-Losensky Kevin, Rosenkranz Christiane, Genzel Gelimer H, Stîngu Catalina S, Schellenberger Wolfgang, Schulz-Stübner Sebastian, Rodloff Arne C, Eschrich Klaus
Institute for Medical Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Department of Trauma Surgery and Orthopedics, Reconstructive and Septic Surgery, and Sports Traumatology, German Armed Forces Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Curr Microbiol. 2018 Nov;75(11):1506-1515. doi: 10.1007/s00284-018-1552-7. Epub 2018 Aug 17.
Clostridium species cause several local and systemic diseases. Conventional identification of these microorganisms is in part laborious, not always reliable, time consuming or does not always distinguish different species, i.e., C. botulinum and C. sporogenes. All in, there is a high interest to find out a reliable, powerful and rapid method to identify Clostridium spp. not only on genus but also on species level. The aim of the present study was to identify Clostridium spp. strains and also to find differences and metabolic groups of C. botulinum by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). A total of 123 strains of Clostridium spp. (C. botulinum, n = 40, C. difficile, n = 11, C. tetani, n = 11, C. sordellii, n = 20, C. sporogenes, n = 18, C. innocuum, n = 10, C. perfringens, n = 13) were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS in combination with methods of multivariate statistical analysis. MALDI-TOF MS analysis in combination with methods of multivariate statistical analysis was able to discriminate between the different tested Clostridium spp., even between species which are closely related and difficult to differentiate by traditional methods, i.e., C. sporogenes and C. botulinum. Furthermore, the method was able to separate the different metabolic groups of C. botulinum. Especially, E gene-positive C. botulinum strains are clearly distinguishable from the other species but also from those producing other toxin types. Thus, MALDI-TOF MS represents a reliable and above all quick method for identification of cultivated Clostridium species.
梭菌属可引发多种局部和全身性疾病。对这些微生物进行传统鉴定在一定程度上既费力、可靠性欠佳、耗时，又无法始终区分不同的物种，如肉毒梭菌和生孢梭菌。总体而言，人们非常希望找到一种可靠、强大且快速的方法，不仅能在属水平上，还能在种水平上鉴定梭菌属。本研究的目的是通过基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF MS）鉴定梭菌属菌株，并找出肉毒梭菌的差异和代谢组。共对123株梭菌属菌株（肉毒梭菌40株、艰难梭菌11株、破伤风梭菌11株、索氏梭菌20株、生孢梭菌18株、无害梭菌10株、产气荚膜梭菌13株）进行了MALDI-TOF MS分析，并结合多元统计分析方法。MALDI-TOF MS分析结合多元统计分析方法能够区分不同测试的梭菌属物种，即使是传统方法难以区分的亲缘关系密切的物种，如生孢梭菌和肉毒梭菌。此外，该方法能够分离肉毒梭菌的不同代谢组。特别是，E基因阳性的肉毒梭菌菌株与其他物种明显不同，也与产生其他毒素类型的菌株不同。因此，MALDI-TOF MS是一种可靠且最重要的是快速鉴定培养的梭菌属物种的方法。
