Exploration of the Bacterial Lipidome using Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography and Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry

The bacterial lipidome has recently gained appreciation as an important factor in antibiotic resistance and host-pathogen interactions during infection. However, the study of bacterial lipids can be particularly challenging due to the presence of lipid species that are unique to bacteria in general, as well as several lipid classes that are unique to individual species of bacteria. Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) is a rapid gas-phase separation technique based on structure and mass that is orthogonal to conventional liquid chromatography techniques. In this talk, I will describe our efforts to develop a method for untargeted lipidomics that combines hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with IM-MS that provides detailed molecular information in the form of lipid class, collision cross-section, accurate mass, and fragmentation pattern to support identification of bacterial lipid species in the context of antibiotic resistance and the host environment.