FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to microbiology and specifically to methods (versions) of identifying microorganisms using mass spectrometry. The method is based on identification of a microorganism in a test sample, including from a hemoculture. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining a test sample known to contain or which may contain microorganisms; selectively lysing and solubilising non-microorganism cells in the test sample with a lysing solution having pH from about 8 to about 13 to produce a lysed sample; stratifying said lysed sample on a homogeneous density buffer in a container and centrifuging the container to separate said microorganism from other components of said lysed sample, wherein said microorganism passes through said density buffer to form a microorganism residue at the bottom of said container; analysing said microorganism residue using mass spectrometry to record the mass spectrum of said microorganism; identifying said microorganism in said residue by comparing the measured mass spectrum with reference mass spectra and/or with known or predicted masses of cellular components of known microorganisms.
EFFECT: use of the disclosed method enables rapid identification of microorganisms on the genus, species or strain level using mass spectrometry.
16 cl, 2 tbl, 3 dwg, 3 ex
