Thanatomicrobiome composition profiling as a tool for forensic investigation.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Microbiology
• Microbiome Research
• Postmortem Science

Background:

• The thanatomicrobiome, the microbial community colonizing a host after death, is a critical area of forensic science.
• Understanding postmortem microbial succession aids in estimating the time since death (postmortem interval) and location of death.
• Current research highlights the potential of thanatomicrobiome analysis for forensic investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically compare traditional experimental methods in thanatomicrobiome studies with advanced microbiome techniques.
• To synthesize current knowledge on the diversity and composition of the thanatomicrobiome.
• To review existing predictive models for postmortem interval estimation using microbial data and suggest future research avenues.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of experimental protocols used in thanatomicrobiome research.
• Review of existing literature on microbial diversity and community structure in postmortem environments.
• Evaluation of computational and statistical models for analyzing microbial data and predicting postmortem intervals.

Main Results:

• Thanatomicrobiome studies can benefit from adopting state-of-the-art microbiome methodologies for enhanced resolution and accuracy.
• Significant variation exists in thanatomicrobiome composition influenced by factors like environment and host characteristics.
• Several prediction models for postmortem interval estimation have been proposed, with varying degrees of success.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing methods and integrating advanced techniques are crucial for advancing thanatomicrobiome research.
• Further research is needed to refine predictive models and understand the complex factors influencing postmortem microbial communities.
• The thanatomicrobiome holds significant promise as a reliable forensic biomarker.