Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing
The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, such as 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, has enabled the characterization of microbial communities across diverse ecosystems including animal carrion. Although most studies on postmortem microbial communities focus on its application to human death...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666937422000130 |
| _version_ | 1811198018461892608 |
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| author | Jennifer L. Houtz Joseph P. Receveur Jennifer L. Pechal M. Eric Benbow Brent M. Horton John R. Wallace |
| author_facet | Jennifer L. Houtz Joseph P. Receveur Jennifer L. Pechal M. Eric Benbow Brent M. Horton John R. Wallace |
| author_sort | Jennifer L. Houtz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, such as 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, has enabled the characterization of microbial communities across diverse ecosystems including animal carrion. Although most studies on postmortem microbial communities focus on its application to human death scene analysis, this technique holds great potential for wildlife crime investigations. We conducted a pilot study to characterize the spatial heterogeneity and temporal shifts between the perimortem (i.e., at time of death) and postmortem (i.e., after death) microbiomes associated with the gut tracts of decomposing European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings over three days. We observed significant differences in microbial community structure among perimortem gut tract regions. The microbial communities converged across all gut tract regions within the first 24 h of death and remained stable between 24 and 72 h postmortem. A random forest classifier identified Lactococcus, Serratia, and Clostridium as the top three taxonomic predictors for predicting perimortem or postmortem microbial communities. Our findings provide preliminary data for considering the potential forensic utility of incorporating the postmortem gut microbiome in avian wildlife crimes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:25:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4036f501134f460b8fc33948ffd93843 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-9374 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:25:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments |
| spelling | doaj.art-4036f501134f460b8fc33948ffd938432022-12-22T03:53:41ZengElsevierForensic Science International: Animals and Environments2666-93742022-12-012100053Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencingJennifer L. Houtz0Joseph P. Receveur1Jennifer L. Pechal2M. Eric Benbow3Brent M. Horton4John R. Wallace5Department of Biology, Millersville University, P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551-0302, USA; Corresponding authors.Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824-1005, USADepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824-1005, USADepartment of Entomology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824-1005, USA; Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, Michigan State University, 909 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824-1005, USADepartment of Biology, Millersville University, P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551-0302, USADepartment of Biology, Millersville University, P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551-0302, USA; Corresponding authors.The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, such as 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, has enabled the characterization of microbial communities across diverse ecosystems including animal carrion. Although most studies on postmortem microbial communities focus on its application to human death scene analysis, this technique holds great potential for wildlife crime investigations. We conducted a pilot study to characterize the spatial heterogeneity and temporal shifts between the perimortem (i.e., at time of death) and postmortem (i.e., after death) microbiomes associated with the gut tracts of decomposing European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings over three days. We observed significant differences in microbial community structure among perimortem gut tract regions. The microbial communities converged across all gut tract regions within the first 24 h of death and remained stable between 24 and 72 h postmortem. A random forest classifier identified Lactococcus, Serratia, and Clostridium as the top three taxonomic predictors for predicting perimortem or postmortem microbial communities. Our findings provide preliminary data for considering the potential forensic utility of incorporating the postmortem gut microbiome in avian wildlife crimes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666937422000130Gut microbiomeWildlife forensicsBirds, Sturnus vulgaris |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer L. Houtz Joseph P. Receveur Jennifer L. Pechal M. Eric Benbow Brent M. Horton John R. Wallace Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing Forensic Science International: Animals and Environments Gut microbiome Wildlife forensics Birds, Sturnus vulgaris |
| title | Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing |
| title_full | Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing |
| title_short | Characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16S rRNA sequencing |
| title_sort | characterization of the avian postmortem gut microbiome across space and time using 16s rrna sequencing |
| topic | Gut microbiome Wildlife forensics Birds, Sturnus vulgaris |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666937422000130 |
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