16S rRNA amplicon sequencing
Definition
A targeted sequencing approach that amplifies a variable region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, which acts as a universal phylogenetic marker. It is cheaper and simpler than shotgun metagenomics and is the dominant method in current forensic microbiome research.
Related terms
- Cadaver decomposition island (CDI)
- The localised area of soil and vegetation altered by the decomposition fluids and gases released from a body. A CDI has a...
- Metagenomics
- The direct sequencing of all DNA extracted from an environmental sample, bypassing the need to culture individual organisms. It produces a community-wide...
- Post-mortem interval (PMI)
- The time elapsed between death and discovery or examination of remains. PMI estimation draws on multiple disciplines: soft tissue decomposition stage, insect...
- Soil microbiome
- The total community of microorganisms inhabiting a soil sample. Each location has a characteristic baseline community shaped by climate, vegetation, and soil...
- Thanatomicrobiome
- The community of microorganisms that colonise a body after death, arising primarily from gut bacteria that breach the intestinal wall and spread...
Explained in
- Microbial and Microbiome Evidence in Forensic CasesA targeted sequencing approach that amplifies a variable region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, which acts as a universal phylogenetic marker. It is c...