Comprehensive biothreat cluster identification by PCR/electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT: Technology for comprehensive identification of biothreats in environmental and clinical specimens is needed to protect citizens in the case of a biological attack. This is a challenge because there are dozens of bacterial and viral species that might be used in a biological attack and many have closely related near-neighbor organisms that are harmless. The biothreat agent, along with its near neighbors, can be thought of as a biothreat cluster or a biocluster for short. The ability to comprehensively detect the important biothreat clusters with resolution sufficient to distinguish the near neighbors with an extremely low false positive rate is required. A technological solution to this problem can be achieved by coupling biothreat group-specific PCR with electrospray ionization mass spectr

SUBMITTER: Sampath R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3387173 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature