Abstract
The establishment of postmortem interval is one of the most important aspects of forensic expertise. Microbes may provide a novel way to estimate the postmortem intervals in order to avoid many of these limitations. The oral cavity harbors one of the most diverse microbiomes that play a key role in the decomposition of corpses. In this study, the oral bacterial community showed obvious changes in relative abundance during the process of mice decomposition. Meanwhile, at different taxonomic levels, specific bacteria were found to be significantly correlated with the postmortem interval. Linear regression models between relative abundance and the postmortem interval were constructed. Among these species, Gamma-proteobacteria and Proteus were the best ones that can be used to infer the postmortem interval, especially late postmortem interval. Therefore, we suggest that succession of oral microbial community can be developed as a forensic tool for estimating the postmortem interval.
Highlights
Death is defined as the cessation of physiological processes that maintain cell integrity and function
This study aimed to investigate the correlation of oral microbes with postmortem interval (PMI) in mouse models
It was found that relative abundance changes of Proteobacteria showed a positive linear correlation with PMI, (PCCs)Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.970, p = 0.030* (Fig. 1B)
Summary
Death is defined as the cessation of physiological processes that maintain cell integrity and function. The body begins to undergo an irreversible, ineluctable and progressive sequence of physical and chemical changes[1]. Understanding the expected autopsy changes is critical to the correct interpretation of the gross and micropathology of autopsy. The postmortem interval (PMI) estimate, which is the time after death, depends on the understanding of these postmortem processes to a large extent. It is critical to accurately estimate the PMI in forensic and law enforcement because it contributes to the identification of victims and suspects, the ascertainment or elimination of suspect witnesses, the notification of death certificates, and the distribution of assets listed in wills[2]. The PMI inference method is difficult to be established because PMI is susceptible to many external and environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, oxygen tension, insects and scavenger activity[3]
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