Module 6

Question 1

Human microbiome

Answer 1

discipline of characterizing microbiological evidence to develop investigative leads in criminal and civil cases

Question 2

Influential factors

Answer 2

human genetics, immune interactions, body site, diet, antibiotics, lifestyle

Question 3

Personalization

Answer 3

genomes are 99.5% identical and that 0.5% is where there’s variation i.e., microbiome

Question 4

Metagenomics

Answer 4

analysis of genomes contained in environmental sample

Question 5

Databases

Answer 5

64 000 bacterial, 1600 archaea, 700 eukaryote, 8400 virus genomes, 20 000 metagenome datasets

Question 6

Sequencing approaches

Answer 6

• Targeted 16S rRNA or WGS (higher resolution + preferable for skin)
• Hybrid = potential human IDing

Question 7

Hid-SkinPlex

Answer 7

skin microbiome profiling assay for forensic human ID based on multiplexed targeted amplicon MPS

Question 8

Stages of decomp

Answer 8

• Fresh: mortis, increased bacteria
• Early: putrefaction, gut decomposes so bacteria circulates in blood, bloating and purging due to anaerobic bacteria
• Advanced
• Skeletonization: no insect activity

Question 9

Microbial clock

Answer 9

succession of different microbial communities to indicate PMI, use MPS, microbes might not be informative until after 48h

Question 10

Taxonomical informative DNA regions

Answer 10

16S rRNA (bacterial and archaeal), 18S rRNA (eukaryotic), ITS (fungi)

Question 11

Mammalian model systems

Answer 11

enables larger sample size, easier manipulation, lower $, grater accessibility, more rapid growth and reproduction