Expanding Molecular Coverage in Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Microbial Systems Using Metal-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization
Jessica Lukowski, Arunima Bhattacharjee, Sarah M. Yannarell, Kaitlyn Schwarz, Leslie Shor, Elizabeth A. Shank, Christopher Anderton
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging is becoming an important technique to investigate molecular processes within microbial colonies and microbiomes under different environmental conditions. However, this method is limited in terms of the types and classes of molecules that can be detected. In this study, we utilized metal-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, which expanded the range of molecules that could be imaged from microbial samples. One advantage of this technique is that the addition of a metal helps facilitate ionization from electrically nonconductive substrates, which allows for the investigation of biofilms grown in polymer-based devices, like soil-emulating micromodels.