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MALDI-TOF MS as a supportive tool for the evaluation of bacterial diversity in soils from Africa and the Americas

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Abstract

Identification and characterization of viable culturable bacteria (VCB) associated with soils from Africa and the Americas are significant for environmental and battlefield security. Such analyses are scarce, and their evaluation using traditional microbiological methods does not fully elucidate the structure and chemotaxonomic characteristics of the microbial community. In this study, matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), spectrometry in addition to 16S rRNA sequencing, and diversity indices were employed to characterize VCB and their associated biomarkers. Nineteen genera were identified across all sample locations, but only four (Bacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, and Terribacillus) confirmed by ClustalW2 as being 98–99 % similar among locations. Further evaluation of soils showed bacterial diversity (H) of (1.0–8.4), evenness (E H ), (0.14–0.72), similarity (Sj), (0.0–0.38), and cfu/g soil (2.5 × 101–2.2 × 107). Analysis of representative bacteria using MALDI-TOF MS identified biomarkers for the genera Bacillus at m/z 6,778 (75 %), 9,437 (100 %); Brevibacillus, m/z 7,381 (86 %); Paenibacillus, 5,473 (63 %); and Terribacillus, 4,517, 6,532, 7,574 (67 %). Peptide mass fingerprinting of biomarkers identified partial peptide maps for several potential virulence factors such as hemagglutinin from a Brevibacillus spp. The data indicate an east (Sudan) to west (Jamaica; Mexico; Washington, DC; Baltimore) trend of potentially pathogenic endospore-forming bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon (work) supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Educational Partnership Program, US Department of Commerce, under Agreement No. NA11SEC4810003. This publication was made possible by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Education Educational Partnership Program award. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the award recipient and do not necessarily represent the official views of the US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We would also like to express sincere thanks to the Department of Biology and Chemistry, Howard University for providing the facilities to enable this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Comprehensive Sciences, Howard University, 2441 Sixth Street, NW Locke Hall, Room 260, Washington, DC, 20059, USA

    Adrian Douglas Allen

  2. Department of Biology, Howard University Graduate School, 415 College Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA

    Maria Velez-Quinones & Broderick E. Eribo

  3. Department of Chemistry, Howard University, 525 College Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA

    Vernon Morris

  4. NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Howard University, 1840 Seventh Street, NW Room 305, Washington, DC, 20001, USA

    Adrian Douglas Allen & Vernon Morris

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  1. Adrian Douglas Allen
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Correspondence to Adrian Douglas Allen.

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Allen, A.D., Velez-Quinones, M., Eribo, B.E. et al. MALDI-TOF MS as a supportive tool for the evaluation of bacterial diversity in soils from Africa and the Americas. Aerobiologia 31, 111–126 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-014-9351-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-014-9351-5

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