Rapid identification of species, sex and maturity by mass spectrometric analysis of animal faeces

摘要: We describe a new approach to the recovery of information from faecal samples, based on analysis molecular signature generated by rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry (REIMS). Faecal pellets five different rodent species were analysed REIMS, and complex spectra acquired rapidly (typically few seconds per sample). The uninterpreted (signatures) then used seed linear discriminant classification models random forests. It was possible classify each origin with high rate accuracy, whether faeces animals maintained under standard laboratory conditions or wild-caught. REIMS signatures stable prior storage material range not altered radically changes in diet. Further, within species, could be discriminate adult versus juvenile mice, male female mice those three strains. offers completely novel method for extending (previously focused DNA) an assessment phenotype, has considerable potential as tool armamentarium field biologist.