The research involves identification and characterization of microorganisms with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique.  The method compares protein mass fingerprints, which are unique for each microbial species, of particular microorganisms with those of reference species in the spectral database.  The technique is robust, rapid, sensitive and precise enough to differentiate highly similar strains.  The culture based, MALDI-TOF MS approach is also extended to strain mapping for subspecies characterization.  For example, microbial strains with distinctive phenotypes can be classified and identified.  More importantly, a database of fingerprints from these species can be created.  This reference database with local context will be valuable for companies and researchers who aspire to efficiently identify or characterize these strains for industrial or academic purposes.