| Title: | VOC fingerprints: metabolomic signatures of biothreat agents with and without antibiotic resistance |
| Author(s): | Dailey A; Saha J; Zaidi F; Abdirahman H; Haymond A; Alem F; Hakami R; Couch R; |
| Address: | "Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA. National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA. rcouch@gmu.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-020-68622-x |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2045-2322 (Electronic) 2045-2322 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Category A and B biothreat agents are deemed to be of great concern by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and include the bacteria Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia mallei, and Brucella species. Underscored by the impact of the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, 2016 Zika pandemic, 2014 Ebola outbreak, 2001 anthrax letter attacks, and 1984 Rajneeshee Salmonella attacks, the threat of future epidemics/pandemics and/or terrorist/criminal use of pathogenic organisms warrants continued exploration and development of both classic and alternative methods of detecting biothreat agents. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise a large and highly diverse group of carbon-based molecules, generally related by their volatility at ambient temperature. Recently, the diagnostic potential of VOCs has been realized, as correlations between the microbial VOC metabolome and specific bacterial pathogens have been identified. Herein, we describe the use of microbial VOC profiles as fingerprints for the identification of biothreat-relevant microbes, and for differentiating between a kanamycin susceptible and resistant strain. Additionally, we demonstrate microbial VOC profiling using a rapid-throughput VOC metabolomics method we refer to as 'simultaneous multifiber headspace solid-phase microextraction' (simulti-hSPME). Finally, through VOC analysis, we illustrate a rapid non-invasive approach to the diagnosis of BALB/c mice infected with either F. tularensis SCHU S4 or Y. pestis CO92" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification Covid-19 Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology/metabolism/virology Disease Outbreaks Drug Resistance, Microbial/drug effects/genetics Female Francisella tularensis/drug effects/isolation & purification/metabo;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineDailey, Allyson Saha, Jessica Zaidi, Fatima Abdirahman, Hafsa Haymond, Amanda Alem, Farhang Hakami, Ramin Couch, Robin eng HDTRA1-16-1-0040/ Department of Defense | Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)/International Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2020/07/18 Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 16; 10(1):11746. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68622-x" |
