Soil Fungi: Their Potential use as a Forensic Tool

Tranchida, María Cecilia; Centeno, Néstor Daniel; Cabello, Marta Noemí

doi:10.1111/1556-4029.12391

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(28 reference statements)

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“…However, the roles of yeasts and other unicellular fungi in postmortem communities remain to be characterized 9,20,21 . Information pertaining to the composition of the fungal community during decomposition is valuable for various aspects of forensic investigation, such as estimations of postmortem interval (PMI), postburial interval (PBI), location of clandestine graves, and other efforts to characterize the environment in which the cadaver is located 14,22–24 . However, technical biases continue to limit visualization of the fungal community structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal succession during mammalian cadaver decomposition and potential forensic implications

Guo

Finkelbergs

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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The necrobiome is the postmortem community that includes bacteria, fungi, arthropods, and other cadaver-associated organisms. It has been suggested as biological evidence for forensic investigation. Fungi form distinctive mildew spots in colonizing decomposing bodies, converting them into moldy cadavers. However, the postmortem fungal community consists of more than these visible species. Characterizing the succession pattern of the fungal community during decomposition is valuable not only for understanding the ecosystem composition of the cadaver decomposition islands but also for contributing to forensic investigations. In the present study, the fungal composition of pig cadavers and succession patterns during decomposition were investigated with high-throughput sequencing. The succession patterns were easier to discern in outdoor cadavers, compared with those that were placed indoors. The metabarcoding approach revealed trends linking particular fungal taxa with specific postmortem intervals (PMIs). Dominant species increased notably in cadavers and soil. Furthermore, the succession of the soil community was driven by the cadaver decomposition. Significant mycoflora differences were observed between environmental and cadaveric soil. The results obtained suggested that postputrefaction mycoflora have considerable potential for PMI estimation, particularly in cases that involve heavily decomposed bodies. In addition, the diversity of fungal communities revealed by the metabarcoding approach allowed us to discriminate the sites of cadaver decomposition, implying that postputrefaction mycoflora may be helpful in identifying the environment in which a cadaver has been placed, or the original location from which a cadaver has been moved. Our results provide an important step towards developing fungal evidence for use in forensic science and add to the growing body of work on postmortem microbial communities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal succession during mammalian cadaver decomposition and potential forensic implications

Guo

Finkelbergs

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…The ascomycete Dichotomomyces cejpii is a common fungus known for its heat-resistant properties, that allow it to survive at 70 °C for 60 min [ 1 ]. Dichotomomyces cejpii is also representative of the fungus found in the soil under decomposing corpses, which highlights its potential as a forensic tool [ 2 ]. Extracts from this fungus display ciliostatic activity, cytotoxic activity, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diverse Secondary Metabolites from the Marine-Derived Fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii F31-1

Chen

et al. 2017

Marine Drugs

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By adding l-tryptophan and l-phenylalanine to GPY medium, twenty-eight compounds, including amides, polyketides, a sesquiterpenoid, a diterpenoid, a meroterpenoid, diketopiperazines, β-carbolines, fumiquinazolines, and indole alkaloids, were discovered from the marine-derived fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii F31-1, demonstrating the tremendous biosynthetic potential of this fungal strain. Among these compounds, four amides dichotomocejs A–D (1–4), one polyketide dichocetide A (5), and two diketopiperazines dichocerazines A–B (15 and 16) are new. The structures of these new compounds were determined by interpreting detailed spectroscopic data as well as calculating optical rotation values and ECD spectra. Obviously, Dichotomomyces cejpii can effectively use an amino acid-directed strategy to enhance the production of nitrogen-containing compounds. Dichotomocej A (1) displayed moderate cytotoxicity against the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD with an IC50 value of 39.1 µM, and pityriacitrin (22) showed moderate cytotoxicity against the human colon carcinoma cell line HCT116 with an IC50 value of 35.1 µM.

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“…Microorganisms such as fungi have major roles in this microbial community stability and postputrefaction fungi have been recorded in association with decomposed mammalian cadavers in disparate regions [6,7]. In this study, we investigated the succession of fungi community on rat carcasses to establish a microcosm study and evaluated the use of the ITS of fungi for postmortem interval estimation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential use of fungi community in postmortem interval estimation in China

Guo

Zhu

et al. 2015

Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series

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Body provides a home for diverse commensal microbiota. Microorganisms such as fungi have major roles in this microbial community stability. Postputrefaction fungi have been recorded in association with decomposed mammalian cadavers in disparate regions. The succession and diversity of these fungi are reviewed with a view to their potential as a forensic tool. The researches of mycology would be an interface to forensic investigation and may provide a means to estimate PMI within serious decomposition. To evaluate the use of succession and diversity of fungi species for PMI estimation, we investigate the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) of fungi community on 3 points of time of rat carcasses conducted by Illumina MiSeq platform. Through high-throughput sequencing, several fungi genus such as Aspergillus, Ophiocordyceps are found in community succession. The community structure of each sample significantly differs in taxon richness and relative abundance patterns within decomposition progress. The succession and diversity of fungi community in corpse decomposition revealed by the indicator of ITS would be a potential forensic tool for PMI estimation.

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Soil Fungi: Their Potential use as a Forensic Tool

Cited by 23 publications

References 15 publications

Fungal succession during mammalian cadaver decomposition and potential forensic implications

Fungal succession during mammalian cadaver decomposition and potential forensic implications

Diverse Secondary Metabolites from the Marine-Derived Fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii F31-1

The potential use of fungi community in postmortem interval estimation in China

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