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Characterization of Micrococcus strains isolated from indoor air
Jennifer M Kooken1, Karen F Fox, Alvin Fox
1Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Molecular and Cellular Probes
|October 4, 2011
Summary
This study developed a method to identify Micrococcus bacteria in indoor air. Mass spectrometry confirmed the identity of Micrococcus luteus strains, aiding in understanding airborne microbial transmission.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Indoor Air Quality
- Disease Transmission
Background:
- Characterizing indoor airborne microbes like Staphylococcus aureus is crucial for understanding disease spread.
- Micrococcus and Staphylococcus genera from human skin are common in indoor air but difficult to differentiate.
- Limited tests exist to distinguish between these morphologically similar genera and species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a method for differentiating Micrococcus and Staphylococcus genera in indoor environments.
- To identify airborne Micrococcus species using protein analysis.
- To improve the understanding of microbial transmission pathways from human skin to indoor air.
Main Methods:
- Protein extraction from Micrococcus strains.
- Separation of proteins using one-dimensional electrophoresis.
- Analysis of tryptic peptides by MALDI TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry).
- Comparison of mass profiles with a Micrococcus luteus reference strain (ATCC 4698).
Main Results:
- Protein profiles were generated for Micrococcus strains.
- MALDI TOF MS analysis provided distinct mass profiles for the analyzed strains.
- All tested strains were confirmed to be Micrococcus luteus, consistent with the reference strain.
Conclusions:
- The developed proteomic approach effectively identifies Micrococcus luteus.
- This method aids in distinguishing Micrococcus from other skin-associated bacteria in indoor air.
- Accurate identification of airborne microbes like Micrococcus luteus contributes to public health by informing disease transmission studies.
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