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A conserved interdomain microbial network underpins cadaver decomposition despite environmental variables

2024; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 9; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/s41564-023-01580-y

2058-5276

Zachary M. Burcham, Aeriel D. Belk, Bridget McGivern, Amina Bouslimani, Parsa Ghadermazi, Cameron Martino, Liat Shenhav, Anru R. Zhang, Pixu Shi, Alexandra L. Emmons, Heather L. Deel, Zhenjiang Zech Xu, Victoria F. Nieciecki, Qiyun Zhu, Michael Shaffer, Morgan Panitchpakdi, Kelly C. Weldon, Kalen Cantrell, Asa Ben‐Hur, Sasha C. Reed, Greg C. Humphry, Gail Ackermann, Daniel McDonald, Siu Hung Joshua Chan, Melissa Connor, Derek A. Boyd, Jake Smith, Jenna Watson, Giovanna M. Vidoli, Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, Aaron M. Lynne, Sibyl R. Bucheli, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Kelly Wrighton, David Carter, Rob Knight, Jessica L. Metcalf,

Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies

Abstract Microbial breakdown of organic matter is one of the most important processes on Earth, yet the controls of decomposition are poorly understood. Here we track 36 terrestrial human cadavers in three locations and show that a phylogenetically distinct, interdomain microbial network assembles during decomposition despite selection effects of location, climate and season. We generated a metagenome-assembled genome library from cadaver-associated soils and integrated it with metabolomics data to identify links between taxonomy and function. This universal network of microbial decomposers is characterized by cross-feeding to metabolize labile decomposition products. The key bacterial and fungal decomposers are rare across non-decomposition environments and appear unique to the breakdown of terrestrial decaying flesh, including humans, swine, mice and cattle, with insects as likely important vectors for dispersal. The observed lockstep of microbial interactions further underlies a robust microbial forensic tool with the potential to aid predictions of the time since death.