D3320: Application of molecular bioinformation technology to estimate the age of necrophagous insects

The minimum postmortem interval (PMI_min) can be crucial evidence in criminal cases, and entomological evidence provides new entry points and clues for its estimation. Forensic entomologists can calculate PMI_min on the basis of the developmental age of necrophagous insects developing on a corpse. Therefore, the accuracy determination of the developmental age of the necrophagous insects collected from a crime scene is a fundamental task for estimating the PMI_min in forensic science. With the rapid development of molecular bioinformatics technology, the comprehensive and systematic analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and other molecular bioinformation may be the potential methods for age estimation of necrophagous insects in forensic entomology, which can help to make more accurate PMI_min predictions in forensic investigations. In this study, we investigated the application and feasibility of these molecular markers for age estimation of necrophagous insects, Which demonstrated that the variation tendencies of genes, spectroscopy and hydrocarbons were time-dependent, can be optimal for the age estimations of forensically important insects, with implications for PMI_min estimation in forensic practice.