Multi-stage search for microbe mass spectra in reference libraries

摘要

Microbes in a sample are identified by calculating similarities between a mass spectrum of the sample and reference mass spectra in a spectral library. The spectral library is divided into a hierarchy of sub-libraries where each sub-library contains reference mass spectra of microbes which are statistically the most prevalent in the samples, but are not included in other sub-libraries and all additional reference mass spectra in the library that have substantial similarity to the reference mass spectra of these microbes. Only if the search in a sub-library does not provide a hit with sufficient certainty of identification, is the search carried out in sub-libraries of higher stages.