VOC fingerprints: metabolomic signatures of biothreat agents with and without antibiotic resistance

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 16;10(1):11746. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68622-x.

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial / genetics
  • Female
  • Francisella tularensis / drug effects
  • Francisella tularensis / isolation & purification
  • Francisella tularensis / metabolism
  • Kanamycin / pharmacology
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Solid Phase Microextraction
  • Tularemia / metabolism*
  • Tularemia / microbiology
  • Tularemia / pathology
  • Tularemia / veterinary
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / metabolism*
  • Yersinia pestis / drug effects
  • Yersinia pestis / isolation & purification
  • Yersinia pestis / metabolism

Substances

  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Kanamycin