Rapid, Sensitive, and Specific Escherichia coli H Antigen Typing by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight-Based Peptide Mass Fingerprinting

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has gained popularity in recent years for rapid bacterial identification, mostly at the genus or species level. In this study, a rapid method to identify the Escherichia coli flagellar antigen (H antigen) at the subspecies level was developed using a MALDI-TOF MS platform with high specificity and sensitivity. Flagella were trapped on a filter membrane, …