CluMSID: an R package for similarity-based clustering of tandem mass spectra to aid feature annotation in metabolomics

SUMMARY: Compound identification is one of the most eminent challenges in the untargeted analysis of complex mixtures of small molecules by mass spectrometry. Similarity of tandem mass spectra can provide valuable information on putative structural similarities between known and unknown analytes and hence aids feature identification in the bioanalytical sciences. We have developed CluMSID (Clustering of MS2 spectra for metabolite identification), an R package that enables researchers to make use of tandem mass spectra and neutral loss pattern similarities as a part of their metabolite annotation workflow. CluMSID offers functions for all analysis steps from import of raw data to data mining by unsupervised multivariate methods along with respective (interactive) visualizations. A detailed tutorial with example data is provided as supplementary information. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: CluMSID is available as R package from https://github.com/tdepke/CluMSID/and from https://bioconductor.org/packages/CluMSID/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.