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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Efficient Nucleic Acid Extraction and 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing for Bacterial Community Characterization
Published on: April 14, 2016
Potential use of high-throughput sequencing of bacterial communities for postmortem submersion interval estimation
Jing He1, Juanjuan Guo1, Xiaoliang Fu1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Microorganisms play vital roles in the natural decomposition of carcasses in aquatic systems. Using high-throughput sequencing techniques, we evaluated the composition and succession of microbial communities throughout the decomposition of rat carcasses in freshwater. A total of 4,428,781 high-quality 16S rRNA gene sequences and 2144 operational taxonomic units were obtained. Further analysis revealed that the microbial composition differed significantly between the epinecrotic (rat skins) and the epilithic (rocks) samples. During the carcass decomposition process, Proteobacteria became the dominant phylum in the epinecrotic, epilithic, and environmental (water) samples, followed by Firmicutes in the epinecrotic samples and Bacteroidetes in the epilithic and water samples. Microbial communities were influenced by numerous environmental factors, such as dissolved oxygen content and conductivity. Our study provides new insight about postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimation in aquatic environments.
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