1
|
Gouello A, Henry L, Chadli D, Salipante F, Gibert J, Boutet-Dubois A, Lavigne JP. Evaluation of the Microbiome Identification of Forensically Relevant Biological Fluids: A Pilot Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:187. [PMID: 38248064 PMCID: PMC10814007 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In forensic sciences, body fluids, or biological traces, are a major source of information, and their identification can play a decisive role in criminal investigations. Currently, the nature of biological fluids is assessed using immunological, physico-chemical, mRNA and epigenetic methods, but these have limits in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The emergence of next-generation sequencing technologies offers new opportunities to identify the nature of body fluids by determining bacterial communities. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether analysis of the bacterial communities in isolated and mixed biological fluids could reflect the situation observed in real forensics labs. Several samples commonly encountered in forensic sciences were tested from healthy volunteers: saliva, vaginal fluid, blood, semen and skin swabs. These samples were analyzed alone or in combination in a ratio of 1:1. Sequencing was performed on the Ion Gene StudioTM S5 automated sequencer. Fluids tested alone revealed a typical bacterial signature with specific bacterial orders, enabling formal identification of the fluid of interest, despite inter-individual variations. However, in biological fluid mixtures, the predominance of some bacterial microbiomes inhibited interpretation. Oral and vaginal microbiomes were clearly preponderant, and the relative abundance of their bacterial communities and/or the presence of common species between samples made it impossible to detect bacterial orders or genera from other fluids, although they were distinguishable from one another. However, using the beta diversity, salivary fluids were identified and could be distinguished from fluids in combination. While this method of fluid identification is promising, further analyses are required to consolidate the protocol and ensure reliability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Gouello
- Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, 95000 Cergy-Pontoise, France; (A.G.); (L.H.); (D.C.); (J.G.)
- VBIC, INSERM U1047, Université Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France;
| | - Laura Henry
- Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, 95000 Cergy-Pontoise, France; (A.G.); (L.H.); (D.C.); (J.G.)
- Sciences Sorbonne Universtity, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Djamel Chadli
- Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, 95000 Cergy-Pontoise, France; (A.G.); (L.H.); (D.C.); (J.G.)
- Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Florian Salipante
- Service de Biostatistiques, Epidémiologie, Santé Publique et Innovation en Méthodologie, Université Montpellier, CHU Nîmes, 30029 Nîmes, France;
| | - Joséphine Gibert
- Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale, 95000 Cergy-Pontoise, France; (A.G.); (L.H.); (D.C.); (J.G.)
| | - Adeline Boutet-Dubois
- VBIC, INSERM U1047, Université Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France;
| | - Jean-Philippe Lavigne
- VBIC, INSERM U1047, Université Montpellier, Service de Microbiologie et Hygiène Hospitalière, CHU Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dass M, Singh Y, Ghai M. A Review on Microbial Species for Forensic Body Fluid Identification in Healthy and Diseased Humans. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:299. [PMID: 37491404 PMCID: PMC10368579 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03413-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities present in body fluids can assist in distinguishing between types of body fluids. Metagenomic studies have reported bacterial genera which are core to specific body fluids and are greatly influenced by geographical location and ethnicity. Bacteria in body fluids could also be due to bacterial infection; hence, it would be worthwhile taking into consideration bacterial species associated with diseases. The present review reports bacterial species characteristic of diseased and healthy body fluids across geographical locations, and bacteria described in forensic studies, with the aim of collating a set of bacteria to serve as the core species-specific markers for forensic body fluid identification. The most widely reported saliva-specific bacterial species are Streptococcus salivarius, Prevotella melaninogenica, Neisseria flavescens, with Fusobacterium nucleatum associated with increased diseased state. Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus iners are frequently dominant in the vaginal microbiome of healthy women. Atopobium vaginae, Prevotella bivia, and Gardnerella vaginalis are more prevalent in women with bacterial vaginosis. Semen and urine-specific bacteria at species level have not been reported, and menstrual blood bacteria are indistinguishable from vaginal fluid. Targeting more than one bacterial species is recommended for accurate body fluid identification. Although metagenomic sequencing provides information of a broad microbial profile, the specific bacterial species could be used to design biosensors for rapid body fluid identification. Validation of microbial typing methods and its application in identifying body fluids in a mixed sample would allow regular use of microbial profiling in a forensic workflow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mishka Dass
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X 54001, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
| | - Yashna Singh
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X 54001, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
| | - Meenu Ghai
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X 54001, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ogbanga N, Nelson A, Ghignone S, Voyron S, Lovisolo F, Sguazzi G, Renò F, Migliario M, Gino S, Procopio N. The Oral Microbiome for Geographic Origin: An Italian Study. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2023; 64:102841. [PMID: 36774834 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2023.102841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The human oral microbiome has primarily been studied in clinical settings and for medical purposes. More recently, oral microbial research has been incorporated into other areas of study. In forensics, research has aimed to exploit the variation in composition of the oral microbiome to answer forensic relevant topics, such as human identification and geographical provenience. Several studies have focused on the use of microbiome for continental, national, or ethnic origin evaluations. However, it is not clear how the microbiome varies between similar ethnic populations across different regions in a country. We report here a comparison of the oral microbiomes of individuals living in two regions of Italy - Lombardy and Piedmont. Oral samples were obtained by swabbing the donors' oral mucosa, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced from the extracted microbial DNA. Additionally, we compared the oral and the skin microbiome from a subset of these individuals, to provide an understanding of which anatomical region may provide more robust results that can be useful for forensic human identification. Initial analysis of the oral microbiota revealed the presence of a core oral microbiome, consisting of nine taxa shared across all oral samples, as well as unique donor characterising taxa in 31 out of 50 samples. We also identified a trend between the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota and the smoking habits, and of Spirochaetota and Synergistota and the age of the enrolled participants. Whilst no significant differences were observed in the oral microbial diversity of individuals from Lombardy or Piedmont, we identified two bacterial families - Corynebacteriaceae and Actinomycetaceae - that showed abundance trends between the two regions. Comparative analysis of the skin and oral microbiota showed significant differences in the alpha (p = 0.0011) and beta (Pr(>F)= 9.999e-05) diversities. Analysis of skin and oral samples from the same donor further revealed that the skin microbiome contained more unique donor characterising taxa than the oral one. Overall, this study demonstrates that whilst the oral microbiome of individuals from the same country and of similar ethnicity are largely similar, there may be donor characterising taxa that might be useful for identification purposes. Furthermore, the bacterial signatures associated with certain lifestyles could provide useful information for investigative purposes. Finally, additional studies are required, the skin microbiome may be a better discriminant for human identification than the oral one.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nengi Ogbanga
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences - Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Andrew Nelson
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences - Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Stefano Ghignone
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP) - Turin Unit - National Research Council (CNR), 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Samuele Voyron
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP) - Turin Unit - National Research Council (CNR), 10125 Turin, Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, V.le P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Flavia Lovisolo
- Department of Health Science, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Giulia Sguazzi
- Department of Health Science, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Via Lanino, 1-28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Filippo Renò
- Department of Health Science, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Mario Migliario
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Sarah Gino
- Department of Health Science, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Noemi Procopio
- Department of Health Science, University of Piemonte Orientale, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2HE Preston, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moitas B, Caldas IM, Sampaio-Maia B. Forensic microbiology and geographical location: a systematic review. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2023.2191993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
|
5
|
Yu KM, Lee AM, Cho HS, Lee JW, Lim SK. Optimization of DNA extraction and sampling methods for successful forensic microbiome analyses of the skin and saliva. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:63-77. [PMID: 36416962 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02919-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Microbiome studies have contributed to many fields, such as healthcare and medicine; however, these studies are relatively limited in forensics. Microbiome analyses can provide information, such as geolocation and ancestry information, when short tandem repeat (STR) profiling fails. In this study, methods for DNA extraction and sampling from the skin and saliva were optimized for the construction of a Korean Forensic Microbiome Database (KFMD). DNA yields were estimated using four DNA extraction kits, including two automated kits (Maxwell® FSC DNA IQ™ Casework Kit and PrepFiler™ Forensic DNA Extraction Kit, updated) and two manual kits (QIAamp DNA Mini Kit and QIAamp DNA Micro Kit) commonly used in forensic DNA profiling laboratories. Next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region was performed to analyze microbial communities in samples. The Bacterial Transport Swab with Liquid Media (NobleBio), two cotton swabs (PoongSung and Puritan), and nylon-flocked swabs (NobleBio and COPAN) were tested for DNA recovery. The PrepFiler and Maxwell kits showed the highest yields of 3.884 ng/μL and 23.767 ng/μL from the scalp and saliva, respectively. With respect to DNA recovery, nylon-flocked swabs performed better than cotton swabs. The relative abundances of taxa sorted by DNA extraction kits were similar contributions; however, with significant differences in community composition between scalp and saliva samples. Lawsonella and Veillonella were the most abundant genera in the two sample types. Thus, the Maxwell® FSC DNA IQ™ Casework Kit and nylon-flocked swab (NobleBio) were optimal for DNA extraction and collection in microbiome analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyeong-Min Yu
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - A-Mi Lee
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Seon Cho
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Woo Lee
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Si-Keun Lim
- Department of Forensic Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sampling from four geographically divergent young female populations demonstrates forensic geolocation potential in microbiomes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18547. [PMID: 36329122 PMCID: PMC9633824 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21779-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of human microbiomes using new sequencing techniques have increasingly demonstrated that their ecologies are partly determined by the lifestyle and habits of individuals. As such, significant forensic information could be obtained from high throughput sequencing of the human microbiome. This approach, combined with multiple analytical techniques demonstrates that bacterial DNA can be used to uniquely identify an individual and to provide information about their life and behavioral patterns. However, the transformation of these findings into actionable forensic information, including the geolocation of the samples, remains limited by incomplete understanding of the effects of confounding factors and the paucity of diverse sequences. We obtained 16S rRNA sequences of stool and oral microbiomes collected from 206 young and healthy females from four globally diverse populations, in addition to supporting metadata, including dietary and medical information. Analysis of these microbiomes revealed detectable geolocation signals between the populations, even for populations living within the same city. Accounting for other lifestyle variables, such as diet and smoking, lessened but does not remove the geolocation signal.
Collapse
|
7
|
Tozzo P, Amico I, Delicati A, Toselli F, Caenazzo L. Post-Mortem Interval and Microbiome Analysis through 16S rRNA Analysis: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:2641. [PMID: 36359484 PMCID: PMC9689864 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12112641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The determination of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI) is an issue that has always represented a challenge in the field of forensic science. Different innovative approaches, compared to the more traditional ones, have been tried over the years, without succeeding in being validated as successful methods for PMI estimation. In the last two decades, innovations in sequencing technologies have made it possible to generate large volumes of data, allowing all members of a bacterial community to be sequenced. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a review regarding new advances in PMI estimation through cadaveric microbiota identification using 16S rRNA sequencing, in order to correlate specific microbiome profiles obtained from different body sites to PMI. The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. For this purpose, 800 studies were identified through database searching (Pubmed). Articles that dealt with PMI estimation in correlation with microbiome composition and contained data about species, body site of sampling, monitoring time and sequencing method were selected and ultimately a total of 25 studies were considered. The selected studies evaluated the contribution of the various body sites to determine PMI, based on microbiome sequencing, in human and animal models. The results of this systematic review highlighted that studies conducted on both animals and humans yielded results that were promising. In order to fully exploit the potential of the microbiome in the estimation of PMI, it would be desirable to identify standardized body sampling sites and specific sampling methods in order to align data obtained by different research groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Tozzo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhang J, Liu W, Simayijiang H, Hu P, Yan J. Application of Microbiome in Forensics. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2022:S1672-0229(22)00096-1. [PMID: 36031058 PMCID: PMC10372919 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technology and improvements in bioinformatics have expanded the scope of microbiome analysis as a forensic tool. Microbiome research is concerned with the study of the compositional profile and diversity of microbial flora as well as the interactions between microbes, hosts, and the environment. It has opened up many new possibilities for forensic analysis. In this review, we discuss various applications of microbiomes in forensics, including identification of individuals, geolocation inference, post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation, and others.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Wenli Liu
- Beijing Center for Physical and Chemical Analysis, Beijing 100089, China
| | | | - Ping Hu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Jiangwei Yan
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Haarkötter C, Saiz M, Gálvez X, Medina-Lozano MI, Álvarez JC, Lorente JA. Usefulness of Microbiome for Forensic Geolocation: A Review. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121322. [PMID: 34947853 PMCID: PMC8707258 DOI: 10.3390/life11121322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Forensic microbiomics is a promising tool for crime investigation. Geolocation, which connects an individual to a certain place or location by microbiota, has been fairly well studied in the literature, and several applications have been found. The aim of this review is to highlight the main findings in this field, including the current sample storage, DNA extraction, sequencing and data analysis techniques that are being used, and its potential applications in human trafficking and ancient DNA studies. Second, the challenges and limitations of forensic microbiomics and geolocation are emphasised, providing recommendations for the establishment of this tool in the forensic science community.
Collapse
|
10
|
Caenazzo L, Tozzo P. Microbiome Forensic Biobanking: A Step toward Microbial Profiling for Forensic Human Identification. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:1371. [PMID: 34683051 PMCID: PMC8544459 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9101371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years many studies have highlighted the great potential of microbial analysis in human identification for forensic purposes, with important differences in microbial community composition and function across different people and locations, showing a certain degree of uncertainty. Therefore, further studies are necessary to enable forensic scientists to evaluate the risk of microbial transfer and recovery from various items and to further critically evaluate the suitability of current human DNA recovery protocols for human microbial profiling for identification purposes. While the establishment and development of microbiome research biobanks for clinical applications is already very structured, the development of studies on the applicability of microbiome biobanks for forensic purposes is still in its infancy. The creation of large population microbiome biobanks, specifically dedicated to forensic human identification, could be worthwhile. This could also be useful to increase the practical applications of forensic microbiology for identification purposes, given that this type of evidence is currently absent from most real casework investigations and judicial proceedings in courts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pamela Tozzo
- Laboratory of Forensic Genetics, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Cho HW, Eom YB. Forensic Analysis of Human Microbiome in Skin and Body Fluids Based on Geographic Location. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:695191. [PMID: 34458160 PMCID: PMC8388931 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.695191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have facilitated the in silico forensic analysis of human microbiome. Specific microbial species or communities obtained from the crime scene provide evidence of human contacts and their body fluids. The microbial community is influenced by geographic, ethnic, lifestyle, and environmental factors such as urbanization. An understanding of the effects of these external stressors on the human microbiome and determination of stable and changing elements are important in selecting appropriate targets for investigation. In this study, the Forensic Microbiome Database (FMD) (http://www.fmd.jcvi.org) containing the microbiome data of various locations in the human body in 35 countries was used. We focused on skin, saliva, vaginal fluid, and stool and found that the microbiome distribution differed according to the body part as well as the geographic location. In the case of skin samples, Staphylococcus species were higher than Corynebacterium species among Asians compared with Americans. Holdemanella and Fusobacterium were specific in the saliva of Koreans and Japanese populations. Lactobacillus was found in the vaginal fluids of individuals in all countries, whereas Serratia and Enterobacter were endemic to Bolivia and Congo, respectively. This study is the first attempt to collate and describe the observed variation in microbiomes from the forensic microbiome database. As additional microbiome databases are reported by studies worldwide, the diversity of the applications may exceed and expand beyond the initial identification of the host.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Won Cho
- Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
| | - Yong-Bin Eom
- Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|