12 Feb 2024 --- Researchers developed a new tool — microbeMASST — that instantly matches microbes to the metabolites they produce without prior knowledge, using a database of over 60,000 microorganisms. The tool, presented in a new study, aims to help scientists better understand the metabolism of microorganisms, as current techniques used to study this process make it difficult to decode microbe interactions and activities. Users can employ the taxonomically informed mass spectrometry (MS) search tool to search known and unknown spectra and link them to their microbial producers, helping to enhance the understanding of microorganisms’ role in ecology and human health.
