books and software
Bringing MS and Microbiology Together
Identification of Microorganisms by Mass Spectrometry Edited by Charles L. Wilkins and Jackson O. Lay, Jr. Wiley, 2005, 350 pp, $90, www.wiley.com
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lthough neither editor is a microbiologist by training, Wilkins and Lay have extensive combined experience in MS and bioanalytical chemistry as applied to microbiology. To provide a review of microbial identification by MS, they have gathered several well-known contributors and have also included authors from forensic and environmental microbiology and informatics. The book contains reviews of the significant developments during the past couple of decades, with an emphasis on research accomplishments since 1994, when the last definitive volume on the subject was published (Mass Spectrometry for the Characterization of Microorganisms, C. Fenselau, Ed.). Because of the emphasis on recent work, little space is devoted to the description of mature microbial identification techniques, such as GC/MS. The opening chapter, authored by a microbiologist, presents an overview of cultural and genetic methodologies to identify bacteria. It sets the stage for following chapters on alternate and complementary techniques. The brief overview would be helpful to bioanalytical researchers who lack experience in microbiology. The next chapter surveys some of the existing methods for specia© 2006 AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
tion of bacteria by MS analysis of small molecules derived from cell membranes and by MS analysis of PCR products. The remainder of the volume provides broad coverage of MS and bioinformatic techniques for microbial identification; both microbiologists and analytical newcomers will find this valuable. The final chapter is a historical view of pyrolysis MS and describes some lessons learned that can be applied to the stilldeveloping areas of MALDI MS and ESI MS of microbes. Highlights of the book include easily understandable introductions to the ionization modes of MALDI and electrospray and mass analyzers such as TOF and FT ion cyclotron resonance. Those descriptions will be very helpful to researchers who lack a background in bioanalytical MS. These relatively new techniques can provide the required high sensitivity and rapid acquisition of chemical fingerprints from intact or extracted microbes. In three different chapters, bioinformatic topics are reviewed from the perspective of microbial identification, ranging from library matching of spectra to machine learning and peak-tablebased methods. Informatics is a key technology for microbial identification from MS data, if it is to be automated and reliable. However, existing computational methods still need to be refined, especially for samples of mixed origins that include more than one type of microbe and/or environmental matrices. Although the title of the book broadly references the area of microbiology and bioanalytical MS, the focus of the book is squarely placed on bacterial identification and MS of proteins and peptides. Of course, the study of fungi, viruses, and parasites is of wide interest to many in the microbiological community. Some of the same methods described can be easily applied to other pathogens—for example, recent reports on the antigenicity of the influenza virus from a MALDI target array (Morrissey, B.; Downard, K. M. Proteomics 2006, 6, 2034–2041) and the detection of norovirus (a category B bioterrorism agent) in biological samples (Colquhoun, D. R.; et al. Appl. Environ. Micro-
biol. 2006, 72, 2749–2755). One chapter stands apart from the rest, because novel approaches to a globally important parasite, Plasmodium, are described. This chapter includes a method to quantitatively and qualitatively measure malaria parasites in human blood that makes it possible to develop field-portable systems. Also, choline phosphate is presented as a presumptive secondary biomarker of malarial disease. Although the main emphasis of the book is protein analysis—except in the case of the description of mature technologies, in which lipid conjugates are mentioned—it should be noted that carbohydrate analysis of microbes can also provide specificity. Carbohydrates can be found in surface-exposed glycoproteins (for instance, BclA from Bacillus anthracis) or glycolipids. At the microbiological research level, the authors support their claim that MS methods can rapidly provide high-quality proteomic, genomic, and metabolomic data, which in turn will lead to the discovery of biomarkers. Those discoveries can be translated into clinical and environmental assays. One hindrance is the cost and size of MS instrumentation, although the current trend is toward smaller, higher-performance instruments at lower prices. The other significant obstacle is the low level of dialogue between bioanalytical specialists and microbiologists. This book provides a valuable description of research territory common to both groups. Reviewed by Carol L. Nilsson, Florida State University.
SPECTROSCOPY b Surface-Enhanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Ricardo Aroca Wiley, 2006, 230 pp, $180, www.wiley.com The 7 chapters are entitled Theory of Molecular Vibrations: Origin of Infrared and Raman Spectra; Interaction of Light with Nanoscopic Metal Particles and Molecules on Smooth Reflecting Surfaces; Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering; Chemical Effects and the SERS
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Spectrum; Is SERS Molecule-Specific?; SERS/SERRS, the Analytical Tool; and Surface-Enhanced Infrared Spectroscopy. Each chapter is referenced.
MASS SPECTROMETRY b Quantitative Applications of Mass Spectrometry Irma Lavagnini, Franco Magno, Roberta Seraglia, and Pietro Traldi Wiley, 2006, 140 pp, $35, www.wiley.com According to the preface, the authors’ goal is to present some very basic information on quantitative organic MS for researchers who are not physicists or chemists and for whom the technique is a black box. The 4 chapters are entitled What Instrumental Approaches are Available, How to Design a Quantitative Analysis, How to Improve Specificity, and Some Thoughts on Calibration and Data Analysis. Each chapter is referenced.
b Mass Spec Desk Reference O. David Sparkman Global View Publishing, 2006, 200 pp, $40, www.lcms.com The main section of this book lists correct and incorrect terms in ~20 categories. For example, the term mass spectrophotometer is incorrect: “a term that never had any official recognition in mass spectrometry. There are no light bulbs in a mass spectrometer.” Some of the categories are data, ions, mass, biochemical MS, isomer nomenclature, instrumentation, components of a measurement, and ion detection. The second section of the book is a bibliography that includes introductory books, technique-oriented books, hard-copy collections of mass spectra, journals, computer abstract sources, monographs, and software.
SEPARATIONS b Advances in Chromatography Eli Grushka and Nelu Grinberg, Eds. Taylor & Francis, 2006, 340 pp, $190, www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com This is volume 44 in the series, with Nelu Grinberg replacing Phyllis Brown 7384
as editor. The 8 chapters in this book were written by 14 contributors from industry and academia. Topics covered include separations in multiple-channel microchips, temperature effects, lipophilicity measurements, multidimensional HPLC, the Process Analytical Technology framework, polysaccharide phases for separating enantiomers, chaotropic effects, and chromatography of difficult proteins. Each chapter is referenced.
b Modern HPLC for Practicing Scientists Michael W. Dong Wiley, 2006, 285 pp, $55, www.wiley.com The author modeled this book after the famous “green book”, Basic Gas Chromatography by McNair and Bonnelli, and intends it for novice and intermediate practitioners. The 11 chapters cover basics, columns, instrumentation, operation, pharmaceutical analysis, applications, method development, system and method validation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
b Handbook of Affinity Chromatography David S. Hage, Ed. Taylor & Francis, 2006, 945 pp, $196, www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com This 2-in.-thick volume contains 30 chapters written by 48 authors. The topics covered by the 6 sections are introduction and basics (4 chapters); various types of affinity chromatography (6 chapters); preparative applications (6 chapters); analytical and semipreparative applications (5 chapters); biophysical applications (4 chapters); and recent developments (5 chapters). Each chapter contains symbols, abbreviations, and references.
b Chromatographic Analysis of the Environment Leo M. L. Nollet, Ed. Taylor & Francis, 2006, 1300 pp, $140, www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com This 2.5-in.-thick book contains 32 chapters written by 58 authors. Topics include sampling, sample preparation, detection, chemometrics, air components, measuring phosphates by ion chromatography, characterization of or-
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ganic and waste matter, and speciation. The types of compounds discussed include nitrogen, sulfur, and organophosphorus compounds; amines; nitrosamines; organic acids; BTEX; polycyclic aromatics; volatile organics; polychlorobiphenyls; nitrates; peroxides; isocyanates; insecticides; carbamates; herbicides and their residues; oil and petroleum products; phthalate esters; humic substances; surfactants; flame retardants; and endocrine disrupters.
BIOANALYTICAL b Spectroscopy of Pharmaceutical Solids Harry G. Brittain, Ed. Taylor & Francis, 2006, 570 pp, $200, www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com According to the preface, this book is intended to provide readers with “genuine knowledge as to the origin of spectroscopic phenomena . . . [to] provide a basis that could lead to a more advanced application for that technique.” The 5 authors contributed 11 chapters on electromagnetic radiation; X-ray absorption, photoelectron, and fluorescence spectroscopies; molecular orbital theory and the electronic structure of molecules; and UV–vis reflectance, luminescence, vibrational, IR absorption, Raman, NIR, and NMR spectroscopies. Most of the chapters are 30–40 pages, 2 are 50–60 pages, and 2 are >100 pages.
ELECTROANALYTICAL b Analytical Electrochemistry Joseph Wang Wiley–VCH, 2006, 250 pp, $95, www.wileyvch.de According to the preface, this book is intended for those in a graduate course in electroanalytical chemistry or as a supplement to a high-level undergraduate instrumental analysis course. The 6 chapters cover fundamentals, electrode reactions and interfacial properties, controlled potential techniques, practical considerations, potentiometry, and electrochemical sensors. Each chapter contains examples and problems.
