LipidFinder

LipidFinder performs artefact filtering, isotope deletion, lipid annotation using LIPID MAPS databases, and target-decoy false discovery rate assessment to improve lipid identification, classification, and data quality in lipidomics studies.

Key Features:

• Artefact Filtering: Four modules filter artefacts including lipid and contaminant stacks, in-source fragments, and salt clusters to reduce noise and false positives.
• Isotope Deletion Method: A novel isotope deletion method provides enhanced sensitivity for distinguishing isotopic peaks from true lipid signals.
• False Discovery Rate (FDR) Assessment: A target-decoy FDR method enables rigorous assessment of identification quality to separate true identifications from false positives.
• Renewed Lipid Profiling Method: Searches three LIPID MAPS databases and returns bulk lipid structures only, and produces a lipid category scatter plot with a color-blind friendly palette.
• API Interface with XCMS Online: Offers an API interface with XCMS Online to integrate with existing metabolomics workflows.
• LIPID MAPS® Classification System: Assigns identified lipids to classes based on the LIPID MAPS® classification system for standardized categorization.

Scientific Applications:

• Biomarker Discovery: Improves confidence in lipid identifications to support discovery of lipid biomarkers.
• Metabolic Pathway Analysis: Provides accurate lipid annotation to facilitate metabolic pathway studies.
• Study of Lipid-Related Diseases: Enables robust lipid profiling and quality assessment applicable to investigations of lipid-related diseases.
• Integration with Metabolomics Workflows: Enhances reliability and reproducibility of lipidomic studies through integration and data-quality assessment.

Methodology:

Searches three LIPID MAPS databases for putative identifications; applies four artefact-filtering modules targeting lipid/contaminant stacks, in-source fragments, and salt clusters; performs isotope deletion; assigns lipids using the LIPID MAPS® classification; and assesses FDR using a target-decoy strategy.