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. 2025 Sep;139(5):2441-2455.
doi: 10.1007/s00414-025-03490-6. Epub 2025 Apr 14.

Identification of circular RNAs as biomarkers for pupal age estimation and postmortem interval in forensically important Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Hai Wu #  1 , Haojie Tang #  1 , Xing Han  1 , Fernand Jocelin Ngando  1 , Yanjie Shang  2 , Yadong Guo  3
Affiliations

Identification of circular RNAs as biomarkers for pupal age estimation and postmortem interval in forensically important Sarcophaga peregrina (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Hai Wu et al. Int J Legal Med. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

Accurate estimation of the pupal age in necrophagous flies is vital for determining the postmortem interval (PMI) in forensic entomology. Differential expression of genes (DEGs) exhibits temporal fluctuations across the developmental stages of these flies. This study evaluates circular RNAs (circRNAs) as novel molecular markers and develops a model for predicting pupal development time based on circRNA expression. Transcriptomic analysis of Sarcophaga peregrina pupae at various stages identified four circRNAs (circRNA_0037, circRNA_0531, circRNA_3373, circRNA_2847) showing significant expression differences. Using real-time quantitative PCR and regression analysis, we constructed a model to estimate development time, which accurately predicts intra-puparial periods. Additionally, we examined circRNA degradation patterns in pupae under lethal conditions and identified a clear degradation trend in circRNA_2847, suggesting its potential use for estimating the PMI. This study introduces new molecular markers and insights for estimating necrophagous fly pupal age.

Keywords: Sarcophaga peregrina; Circular RNAs; Forensic entomology; Intra-puparial development; Postmortem interval.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Research involving human participants and/or animals: Not applicable. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests related to the content of this article.

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