Unique Individualistic Microflora: The Future of DNA Fingerprinting Technique

Abstract

Microbial forensics is a newly emerging discipline in forensic science, which is the amalgam of both classical and advanced microbiology. Microbial phylogenetics and bioinformatics also play an important role in microbial forensic analysis. The omnipresence of bacteria and its uniqueness to a particular individual makes microbial genome analysis a potential tool for personal identification in addition to human genome analysis. Most of the studies on microbial forensics are based upon bioweapons; however, use of bacterial community for individualization and their possible role in body fluid degradation resulting into failure of even the most sensitive DNA fingerprinting technique is also of major concern and needs to be explored. From microbial forensics point of view, in addition to the conventional practices such as 16S rRNA and other housekeeping gene sequencing, metagenomic analysis by using high-throughput sequencing and polyphasic taxonomic approach can be employed for a better output in criminal investigation. This review unveils the current status of microbial forensics and takes the account of future requisites that should be inculcated in the present technology to probe forensic microbiology in criminal casework more efficaciously.