Mass Spectrometry for Natural Product Discovery

Abstract Natural products chemistry is focused on the study of small organic molecules, especially secondary metabolites, produced by organisms such as bacteria, fungi and plants. Natural products have proven to be rich sources of medically- and industrially-important bioactive molecules. Characterizing the diversity of organic compounds is challenging, however, advances in mass spectrometry have allowed for discovery of thousands of new compounds over the past few decades. Mass spectrometry is used in various stages of the discovery process, ranging from sample selection, screening and fractionation, to identification and dereplication. Here, we discuss the critical role of mass spectrometry in the discovery of novel natural products. We also discuss recent innovations in mass spectrometry imaging and genomic analysis that are accelerating the detection and improving our understanding in biosynthesis of natural products.