A Simple and Safe Protocol for Preparing Brucella Samples for Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis

ABSTRACT We describe a simple protocol to inactivate the biosafety level 3 (BSL3) pathogens Brucella prior to their analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry. This method is also effective for several other bacterial pathogens and allows storage, and eventually shipping, of inactivated samples; therefore, it might be routinely applied to unidentified bacteria, for the safety of laboratory workers.