Mass Spectrometric Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxin by Measuring its Activity in Serum and Milk

  • Suzanne R. Kalb
  • James L. Pirkle
  • John R. Barr
Conference paper
First Online:
Part of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology book series (NAPSA)

Abstract

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are bacterial protein toxins which are considered likely agents for bioterrorism due to their extreme toxicity and high availability. A new mass spectrometry based assay called Endopep MS detects and defines the toxin serotype in clinical and food matrices via toxin activity upon a peptide substrate which mimics the toxin’s natural target. Furthermore, the subtype of the toxin is differentiated by employing mass spectrometry based proteomic techniques on the same sample. The Endopep-MS assay selectively detects active BoNT and defines the serotype faster and with sensitivity greater than the mouse bioassay. One 96-well plate can be analyzed in under 7 h. On higher level or “hot” samples, the subtype can then be differentiated in less than 2 h with no need for DNA.

Keywords

Botulinum neurotoxin Mass spectrometry MALDI Antibody extraction 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Suzanne R. Kalb
    • 1
  • James L. Pirkle
    • 1
  • John R. Barr
    • 1
  1. 1.Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAtlantaUSA

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