Table 1. Comparison of established methods for linking localization and taxonomic identification of microbes to the production of particular metabolites of interest in environmental samples.

Metabolite imaging method	Bacterial visualization method	Metabolite imaging					Reference
		Equipment costs	Need for labeling	Versatility (compounds)	Lateral resolution	Sensitivity
Microautoradiography	FISH	$	Yes	Low	High	Medium	Kindaichi et al., 2004
nanoSIMS	FISH/HISH/EL-FISH	$$$$	Yes	Low	High	High	Orphan et al., 2001; Behrens et al., 2008; Musat et al., 2008; Li et al., 2008
(MA)LDI	FISH	$$$	No	Very high	Medium	Medium	This study
DESI	FISH	$$	No	Very high	Low	Low	This study

Abbreviations: DESI, desorption electrospray ionization; EL-FISH, element labeling fluorescence in situ hybridization; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; HISH, halogen in situ hybridization; (MA)LDI, (matrix-assisted) laser desorption/ionization; SIMS, secondary ion mass spectrometry.