Journal of Forensic Research

Microbial Forensic Analysis of Bacterial Fingerprint by Sequence Comparison of 16S rRNA Gene

Abstract

So-Yeon Lee, Seung-Kyun Woo, Go-Woon Choi, You-Jin Hong and Yong-Bin Eom

Human have the microorganisms in the skin, gut and mouth. Human skin microbiome based on the 16S rRNA encoding gene can reveal bacterial species diversity. Also bacterial species in the skin have diverse and unique composition between individuals. We thought that a bacterial fingerprint obtained from surfaces including computer keyboards aids forensic individual identification in case of evidence deficiency. Next generation sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial community on objects and fingertips to match the object to the individual. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was submitted to EMBL SRA with accession number PRJEB8760. Higher similarity of bacterial community between public computer keyboards and laboratory member’s fingertips were evident than between other locations including doorknobs. Here we studied the challenges that bacterial fingerprint can be used as a human identification tool in forensic fields.