Abstract
The necrobiome is the postmortem community that includes bacteria, fungi, arthropods, and other cadaver-associated organisms. It has been suggested as biological evidence for forensic investigation. Fungi form distinctive mildew spots in colonizing decomposing bodies, converting them into moldy cadavers. However, the postmortem fungal community consists of more than these visible species. Characterizing the succession pattern of the fungal community during decomposition is valuable not only for understanding the ecosystem composition of the cadaver decomposition islands but also for contributing to forensic investigations. In the present study, the fungal composition of pig cadavers and succession patterns during decomposition were investigated with high-throughput sequencing. The succession patterns were easier to discern in outdoor cadavers, compared with those that were placed indoors. The metabarcoding approach revealed trends linking particular fungal taxa with specific postmortem intervals (PMIs). Dominant species increased notably in cadavers and soil. Furthermore, the succession of the soil community was driven by the cadaver decomposition. Significant mycoflora differences were observed between environmental and cadaveric soil. The results obtained suggested that postputrefaction mycoflora have considerable potential for PMI estimation, particularly in cases that involve heavily decomposed bodies. In addition, the diversity of fungal communities revealed by the metabarcoding approach allowed us to discriminate the sites of cadaver decomposition, implying that postputrefaction mycoflora may be helpful in identifying the environment in which a cadaver has been placed, or the original location from which a cadaver has been moved. Our results provide an important step towards developing fungal evidence for use in forensic science and add to the growing body of work on postmortem microbial communities.
Highlights
Cadaver decomposition is a universal phenomenon which plays an integral role in ecosystem energy transformation and nutrient cycling[1]
Information pertaining to the composition of the fungal community during decomposition is valuable for various aspects of forensic investigation, such as estimations of postmortem interval (PMI), postburial interval (PBI), location of clandestine graves, and other efforts to characterize the environment in which the cadaver is located[14,22,23,24]
We expected that the cadaveric communities would show notable and repeatable succession patterns throughout the decomposition process, and that the dominant species would change over time during the PMI
Summary
Cadaver decomposition is a universal phenomenon which plays an integral role in ecosystem energy transformation and nutrient cycling[1]. Approaches, numerous species in the genera listed above were identified among samples collected during 23 autopsies, performed on body surfaces with visible fungal growth[16]. Saprophytic genera such as Monilia, Penicillium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Chrysosporium, and Cladophialophora have been isolated from mummified cadavers in archeological studies[18,19]. Information pertaining to the composition of the fungal community during decomposition is valuable for various aspects of forensic investigation, such as estimations of postmortem interval (PMI), postburial interval (PBI), location of clandestine graves, and other efforts to characterize the environment in which the cadaver is located[14,22,23,24]. We propose the use of cadaver-associated fungi as microbial evidence in several aspects of forensic investigation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
