The microbiome of fly organs and fly-human microbial transfer during decomposition

Deel, Heather L.; Montoya, Sophia; King, Keli; Emmons, Alexandra L.; Huhn, Cameron; Lynne, Aaron M.; Metcalf, Jessica L.; Bucheli, Sibyl R.

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111425

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…However, a different lab-based study that excluded blow flies but included carrion beetles 26 detected a subset of these key microbial decomposers, suggesting a role for microbe–insect interactions and dispersal by insects 26 , 48 , 63 . Further evidence implicating insects as important vectors is that all key network bacterial decomposers presented here have been detected on blow flies (Supplementary Table 28 ) 6 , 64 . Furthermore, Ascomycota fungal members, such as Yarrowia and Candida , have been previously detected in association with human, swine and mouse remains 6 , 26 , 44 , 53 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence data files from refs. 6 , 24 , 25 , 64 , 69 , 90 , 91 were obtained from QIITA 92 under study IDs 10141–10143, 1609, 13114, 10317, 13301 and 11204, respectively. Data obtained from QIITA 92 had been previously demultiplexed and denoised using Deblur 80 and are available on the QIITA 92 study page.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence data files from refs. 6 , 24 , 25 , 64 , 69 , 90 , 91 were obtained from QIITA 92 under study IDs 10141–10143 (ref. 6 ), 1609 (refs.…”

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confidence: 99%

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A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables

Burcham,

Belk,

McGivern

et al. 2024

Nat Microbiol

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Microbial breakdown of organic matter is one of the most important processes on Earth, yet the controls of decomposition are poorly understood. Here we track 36 terrestrial human cadavers in three locations and show that a phylogenetically distinct, interdomain microbial network assembles during decomposition despite selection effects of location, climate and season. We generated a metagenome-assembled genome library from cadaver-associated soils and integrated it with metabolomics data to identify links between taxonomy and function. This universal network of microbial decomposers is characterized by cross-feeding to metabolize labile decomposition products. The key bacterial and fungal decomposers are rare across non-decomposition environments and appear unique to the breakdown of terrestrial decaying flesh, including humans, swine, mice and cattle, with insects as likely important vectors for dispersal. The observed lockstep of microbial interactions further underlies a robust microbial forensic tool with the potential to aid predictions of the time since death.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables

Burcham,

Belk,

McGivern

et al. 2024

Nat Microbiol

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“…A PMI can be estimated as the minimum and/or maximum amount of time an individual has potentially been deceased [ 6 , 15 ]. Estimation of the PMI, however, is complicated by the natural variability in the decomposition process [ 16 , 17 ] and the effects of many environmental and biological factors on changes to human remains over time [ 9 , 18 – 22 ]. In a forensic context, factors can include criminal activity such as wrapping, concealment, or burial, or other factors like scavenging by animals or preservation environments, for example.…”

Section: Decomposition and The Postmortem Intervalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging the gap between decomposition theory and forensic research on postmortem interval

Dawson,

Ueland,

Carter

et al. 2023

Int J Legal Med

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Knowledge of the decomposition of vertebrate animals has advanced considerably in recent years and revealed complex interactions among biological and environmental factors that affect rates of decay. Yet this complexity remains to be fully incorporated into research or models of the postmortem interval (PMI). We suggest there is both opportunity and a need to use recent advances in decomposition theory to guide forensic research and its applications to understanding the PMI. Here we synthesise knowledge of the biological and environmental factors driving variation in decomposition and the acknowledged limitations among current models of the PMI. To guide improvement in this area, we introduce a conceptual framework that highlights the multiple interdependencies affecting decay rates throughout the decomposition process. Our framework reinforces the need for a multidisciplinary approach to PMI research, and calls for an adaptive research cycle that aims to reduce uncertainty in PMI estimates via experimentation, modelling, and validation.

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“…The investigation into the gut microbiota of insects in question is necessitated by its influence over various host-insect biological facets such as nutrition, development, immunity, behavior, and overall fitness [8]. Furthermore, its correlation with the host's environmental adaptation capabilities, driven largely by seasonal dietary and temperature fluctuations, cannot be understated [9,10]. Therefore, a meticulous exploration of these microbial populations may contribute substantially to the understanding of host organism biology and ecological interactions [11][12][13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogenetic Constraints and Ecological Implications of Gut Bacterial Communities in Necrophagous Flies

Park,

2023

Diversity

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This study examines the gut bacterial communities of four necrophagous fly species: Lucilia illustris, L. caesar, Chrysomya megacephala, and C. pinguis. The gut bacterial communities exhibited significant variation across species, showcasing a diverse range of bacterial phyla, classes, and genera. Each species harbored a unique set of bacteria, yet there was considerable overlap in taxa among species. Species richness was comparable across all species. However, measures that account for both richness and evenness, such as the Shannon diversity index and the inverse Simpson’s diversity index, indicated significant differences between species, especially between L. illustris and C. pinguis. The functional profiles of the gut bacterial communities mainly centered on metabolic and environmental information processing functions, with no marked differences between species. While this study had limitations in data collection, it still revealed a significant correlation between the phylogenetic distances of some fly species and the distances of their gut bacterial communities. This supports the hypothesis that the gut microbiota is not random but is influenced by the host’s evolutionary history or seasons. We confirmed that an association between phylogeny and gut bacterial community structure, as determined through entanglement analysis, exists. The study focused on only five individuals from the four fly species sampled during spring and summer, which might affect the generalizability of the results. Future research would benefit from replicating this study with a larger sample size across various seasons to ensure the more widespread applicability of the findings.

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The microbiome of fly organs and fly-human microbial transfer during decomposition

Cited by 6 publications

References 59 publications

A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables

A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables

Bridging the gap between decomposition theory and forensic research on postmortem interval

Phylogenetic Constraints and Ecological Implications of Gut Bacterial Communities in Necrophagous Flies

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