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Related Concept Videos

Methods to Assess Microbial Communities01:19

Methods to Assess Microbial Communities

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Microbial communities, comprising bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic microorganisms, inhabit diverse ecosystems and play crucial roles in environmental and biological processes. Their diversity is defined by three main parameters: species richness (the number of distinct species), species abundance (the relative quantity of each species), and species evenness (how uniformly individual species are distributed in various locations). These factors together shape the structure and ecological balance...
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Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity,...
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Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...
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Assessing microbial populations is crucial for understanding microbial roles in health, ecology, and industry. Various complementary techniques—both culture-based and molecular—enable detailed analysis of microbial abundance, diversity, and function.Viable Plate CountThe viable plate count is a traditional culture-based method used to estimate the number of living microbes in a sample. After serial dilution, the sample is spread onto nutrient agar plates. Each viable cell forms a...
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The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
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Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing
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Microbial communities associated with human decomposition and their potential use as postmortem clocks.

Sheree J Finley1, M Eric Benbow, Gulnaz T Javan

  • 1Forensic Science Program, Physical Sciences Department, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 36104, USA.

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This review explores microbial changes during human decomposition to improve postmortem interval (PMI) estimation. Next-generation sequencing methods offer new ways to analyze these microbial communities for forensic science.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Science
  • Microbial Ecology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) is crucial in forensic investigations.
  • Current PMI estimation methods often focus on physiochemical decomposition and entomology.
  • Limited research exists on microbial community dynamics during human decomposition and their PMI potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current progress in understanding microbial diversity during human decomposition.
  • To highlight the application of next-generation sequencing for analyzing microbial communities in forensic contexts.
  • To discuss the potential of microbial analysis for improving PMI estimation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing forensic science studies on decomposition.
  • Focus on microbial changes in human corpses and surrounding soil.
  • Emphasis on next-generation metagenomic sequencing approaches.

Main Results:

  • Microbial communities on and within decomposing human bodies undergo significant changes.
  • Soil microbial communities beneath a corpse are also altered by decomposition.
  • Next-generation sequencing provides high-resolution data on these complex microbial ecosystems.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial analysis, particularly using metagenomics, shows promise for enhancing PMI estimation.
  • Further research into microbial succession patterns can refine forensic taphonomy.
  • Integrating microbial data with other forensic methods may improve decomposition timeline accuracy.