Carcass mass has little influence on the structure of gravesoil microbial communities

Weiss, Sophie; Carter, David; Metcalf, Jessica L.; Knight, Rob

doi:10.1007/s00414-015-1206-2

Cited by 50 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Postmortem microbial changes are gaining considerable attention with studies of cadaver decomposition epinecrotic communities [4,7,17]. Ethical guidelines in different countries dictate whether human cadavers, organs and tissue can be used hence different mammalian surrogates, particularly pig (Sus scrofa), are often adopted as human taphonomic proxies for investigative purposes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microorganisms play crucial roles in both cadaver and plant litter decomposition with subsequent increases of soil particulate organic matter content and available substrates. These, in turn, effect successional dynamics in the occurring microbial community structure and composition [2,7,8,9]. So there is intense interest in elucidating the relationships between cadaver microbiota and soil microbial fauna as potential indicators in forensic applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The increased abundance of the order Flavobacteriales suggested a piglet decomposition-based enrichment of commensal opportunistic pathogenic strains that are typically found in marine (animals), contaminated or waste treatment ecosystems [e.g. 37,38].A report by Weiss et al[7] identified a marginal difference in the epinecrotic community of a 1 kg swine when compared with 20 -50 kg carcasses but recommended the use of the latter weight range as human surrogates in postmortem microbial investigations. Nevertheless, this programme used ~1.5 kg piglets, which are recognized as good models for research purposes[18 39], even if they may not have effected decomposition and associated microbial communities of adult pigs.…”

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confidence: 99%

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A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest

Olakanye

Nelson

Ralebitso-Senior

2017

Forensic Science International

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A cadaver and dead plant organic matter, or litter, are rich energy sources that undergo a complex decomposition process, which impact the surrounding environmental microbiota. Advances in molecular microbiology techniques, with study of the 16S RNA genes, in particular, have highlighted the application of forensic ecogenomics in addressing key knowledge gaps. To investigate subsurface microbiome shifts as a novel tool to establish "postmortem microbial clock" and augment postmortem interval (PMI) and time-since-burial estimations, an in situ study with triplicate underground burials of piglets as human taphonomic proxies and Quercus robur leaf litter was monitored for 270 days. Changes in microbial community structure and composition were related directly to changes in seasonal temperature, with microbial shifts more pronounced during the summer. For example, Methylococcaceae could be used as seasonal bacterial indicators, from winter to summer, in establishing postmortem microbial clock for this site. Furthermore, Methylophilaceae (Methylophilales order) and Anaerolineaceae would differentiate for the piglet and leaf litter soils, respectively, 180 days after internment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest

Olakanye

Nelson

Ralebitso-Senior

2017

Forensic Science International

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“…When the nutrient plume enters the soil, it even merits its own name and acronym: cadaver decomposition island, or CDI (6). A recent study found that a unique community of bacterial and fungal species reliably colonizes mammalian cadavers (7) and accumulates in the grave soil around and under those cadavers (8). Interspecific microbial competition for nutrients presumably shapes a cadaver's microbial community composition while also influencing other ecologically or biogeographically important events, such as immigration or dispersal of community members.…”

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confidence: 99%

Death Becomes Them: Bacterial Community Dynamics and Stilbene Antibiotic Production in Cadavers of Galleria mellonella Killed by Heterorhabditis and Photorhabdus spp

Wollenberg

Jagdish

Slough

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Insect larvae killed by entomopathogenic nematodes are thought to contain bacterial communities dominated by a single bacterial genus, that of the nematode's bacterial symbiont. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to profile bacterial community dynamics in greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae cadavers killed by Heterorhabditis nematodes and their Photorhabdus symbionts. We found that, although Photorhabdus strains did initially displace an Enterococcus-dominated community present in uninfected G. mellonella insect larvae, the cadaver community was not static. Twelve days postinfection, Photorhabdus shared the cadaver with Stenotrophomonas species. Consistent with this result, Stenotrophomonas strains isolated from infected cadavers were resistant to Photorhabdus-mediated toxicity in solid coculture assays. We isolated and characterized a Photorhabdus-produced antibiotic from G. mellonella cadavers, produced it synthetically, and demonstrated that both the natural and synthetic compounds decreased G. mellonella-associated Enterococcus growth, but not Stenotrophomonas growth, in vitro. Finally, we showed that the Stenotrophomonas strains described here negatively affected Photorhabdus growth in vitro. Our results add an important dimension to a broader understanding of Heterorhabditis-Photorhabdus biology and also demonstrate that interspecific bacterial competition likely characterizes even a theoretically monoxenic environment, such as a Heterorhabditis-Photorhabdus-parasitized insect cadaver. IMPORTANCEUnderstanding, and eventually manipulating, both human and environmental health depends on a complete accounting of the forces that act on and shape microbial communities. One of these underlying forces is hypothesized to be resource competition. A resource that has received little attention in the general microbiological literature, but likely has ecological and evolutionary importance, is dead/decaying multicellular organisms. Metazoan cadavers, including those of insects, are ephemeral and nutrient-rich environments, where resource competition might shape interspecific macrobiotic and microbiotic interactions. This study is the first to use a next-generation sequencing approach to study the community dynamics of bacteria within a model insect cadaver system: insect larvae parasitized by entomopathogenic nematodes and their bacterial symbionts. By integrating bioinformatic, biochemical, and classic in vitro microbiological approaches, we have provided mechanistic insight into how antibiotic-mediated bacterial interactions may shape community dynamics within insect cadavers.

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“…The ecological factors are then to be taken into account in order to improve the estimation of the PMI [5]. The microbial population of the soil has a great influence in this dynamic [6]; [7]; [8]; [9]. To this is added the acceleration of decomposition in the soil by the arthropods [10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post Mortem Interval: Necrobiome Analysis Using Artificial Neural Networks

Khenchouche¹

2017

CBB

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Aims: In criminal investigations, it is necessary to determine the date and time of the death of a person. Different techniques are used. In this study, we try to analyze the necrobioma that characterizes all the bacteria that populate a corpse. It would be necessary to determine which bacteria first inhabit a dead organism? Which bodies are the first organs to be affected? Which microorganisms will tend to multiply post-mortem? How to establish a dynamics of bacterial diffusion and an occupation gradient according to the moment of death? Several factors are involved in this dynamic. Mathematical modeling becomes very complex. In this study, we propose an intelligent system to predict the exact date of death of the number and species found at time (t). Materials and Methods: The purpose is to determine and enumerate the bacterial colonies in the study organ. Establish the bacterial dynamics as a function of time. In this study, an artificial neural network is established. The input variables are bacterial species, their growth rates, growth conditions (temperature, humidity, soil type, and bacterial species). The rate of bacterial species in specified organ is considered as output variable. The time taken for a bacterial species to reach this rate under defined conditions determines the date of death of the person. Results: Since input variables are considered complex, uncertain, an artificial neural network demonstrates its ability to solve such complexity. After the learning phase of the network from the real data, this creates a function of correspondence between the space of inputs and output. The established system makes it possible to instantly read the time elapsed after death from the introduction of the random values at the input with the maximum precision. The proposed system remains extensible to enter variables that may have an effect on the output.

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Carcass mass has little influence on the structure of gravesoil microbial communities

Cited by 50 publications

References 47 publications

A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest

A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest

Death Becomes Them: Bacterial Community Dynamics and Stilbene Antibiotic Production in Cadavers of Galleria mellonella Killed by Heterorhabditis and Photorhabdus spp

Post Mortem Interval: Necrobiome Analysis Using Artificial Neural Networks

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