Universal Spectrum Identifier for mass spectra

Universal Spectrum Identifier (USI) provides a standardized mechanism for encoding a virtual path to mass spectra deposited to public repositories or contained in public spectral libraries. Mass spectra provide the ultimate evidence to support the findings of mass spectrometry proteomics studies in publications, and it is therefore crucial to be able to trace the conclusions back to the spectra. The Universal Spectrum Identifier (USI) provides a standardized mechanism for encoding a virtual path to any mass spectrum contained in datasets deposited to public proteomics repositories. USI enables greater transparency of spectral evidence, with more than 1 billion USI identifications from over 3 billion spectra already available through ProteomeXchange repositories.

Automated summary

The Universal Spectrum Identifier (USI) provides a standardized mechanism for encoding virtual paths to mass spectra in public repositories, enabling greater transparency and traceability of spectral evidence. Over 1 billion USI identifications from more than 3 billion spectra are already available through ProteomeXchange repositories, supporting the findings of mass spectrometry proteomics studies.