Forensic application of metagenomics: Methods and future directions.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Forensic Science
• Genomics

Background:

• Microbial communities are ubiquitous and present on human bodies and in the environment.
• The human microbiome, including bacteria in saliva, skin, and gut, holds potential for forensic applications.
• Environmental samples also harbor microbiomes useful for geolocation inference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of metagenomics in forensic science.
• To identify key obstacles hindering the forensic use of microbiomes.
• To highlight areas for future research.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on metagenomics in forensic science.
• Analysis of challenges and limitations in microbiome-based forensic investigations.

Main Results:

• Metagenomic sequencing has advanced microbial analysis for forensics.
• Forensic microbiome applications are still developing due to several challenges.
• Key obstacles include a lack of standardized protocols and inadequate reference databases.
• Limitations such as sample storage sensitivity and sample size were also noted.

Conclusions:

• Standardized investigation protocols are crucial for overcoming current difficulties.
• Further research is needed to fully realize the potential of microbiomes in forensic contexts.
• Microbiome analysis offers promising avenues for individual and location identification in forensic investigations.