Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy, a novel and rapid tool for identification of yeasts

Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy was used in this study to identify yeasts. Cells were grown to microcolonies of 70 to 250 micro m in diameter and transferred from the agar plate by replica stamping to an IR-transparent ZnSe carrier. IR spectra of the replicas on the carrier were recorded using an IR microscope coupled to an IR spectrometer, and identification was performed by comparison to reference spectra. The method was tested by using small model libraries comprising reference spectra of 45 strains from 9 genera and 13 species, recorded with both FT-IR microspectroscopy and FT-IR macrospectroscopy. The results show that identification by FT-IR microspectroscopy is equivalent to that achieved by FT-IR macrospectroscopy but the time-consuming isolation of the organisms prior to identification is not necessary. Therefore, this method also provides a rapid tool to analyze mixed populations. Furthermore, identification of 21 Debaryomyces hansenii and 9 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains resulted in 92% correct identification at the strain level for S. cerevisiae and 91% for D. hansenii, which demonstrates that the resolution power of FT-IR microspectroscopy may also be used for yeast typing at the strain level.