"Conserved Microbial Network Unveils Clues for Forensic Science"
Researchers have discovered a universal network of microbes that respond to cadaver decomposition, despite variations in climate, location, and season. The study used multi-omic data to reveal that a conserved interdomain soil microbial decomposer network assembles in response to mammalian remains, with evidence of increased metabolic efficiencies to process lipid- and protein-rich compounds. Key members of the microbial decomposer network are associated with various mammalian carrion, suggesting that they are not human-specific. The findings have implications for forensic science, agriculture, sustainability, and the human death care industry.
