Imaging of metabolites in symbiont containing tissues of Bathymodiolus sp. mussels from a hydrothermal vent

<p>MALDI-MS laser spot size directly influences the resolution of ion-maps generated by MALDI-MS imaging. Here we show from top to bottom different ion maps from <em>Bathymodiolus sp</em>. tissue acquired with decreasing spot sizes (laser spot diameter indicated in each image). Details relevant to the scale of the bacterial symbionts become visible by using laser settings under 10 &micro;m spot size.</p>