Researchers from JNCASR, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have identified a new method to understand the virology of monkeypox virus (MPV).
The new findings could help develop diagnostic tools for the deadly infection, which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) twice in the past three years. During the 2024 global outbreak, the disease spread to about fifteen countries in Africa, and three from Africa.
The outbreak has raised serious concerns about its unexpected spread around the world because the mode of transmission and symptoms are not well understood. A comprehensive understanding of virology, in addition to the rapid development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, is of paramount importance.
“MPV is a double-stranded DNA virus (dsDNA). The detection of the extracellular viral protein gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a well-established technique for identifying MPV in clinical samples,” the researchers said.
Currently, the disease is detected by PCR using the amplification of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), also using fluorescent probes to quantify the amplification.
The team identified and characterized highly conserved GQ – an unusual and characteristic four-stranded DNA structure within the MPV genome. They specifically detected a specific GQ sequence using a custom-made small molecule fluorescent probe, allowing accurate detection of MPV.
“These GQ sequences are stable under physiological conditions, highly conserved and not present in other poxviruses, other pathogens and the human genome. These features make the GQ sequences valuable targets for the development of diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions,” the team explains.
Their fluorogenic molecular probe (BBJL) provided “a greater than 250-fold enhancement in fluorescence output upon binding with MPV GQs (MP2). The ability of BBJL to selectively detect this highly conserved sequence in the MPV genome sets a precedent for the development of detection techniques targeting non-canonical nucleic acids.”
Additional mapping of the MPV genome is underway to identify potential GQ targets for future therapies. Consequently, this study extends the development of potential detection platforms based on GQ, and the identified GQs can be further investigated for their antiviral properties.
Such molecular probes with superior conformation or sequence-specific recognition of nucleic acids could alleviate the challenge of existing amplification-based techniques in distinguishing false-positive results arising from nonspecific amplification.
The identification and characterization of novel GQ sequences in the MPV could help the broader scientific community seeking to understand the virology of MPV or develop diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, researchers said.
(Except for the headline, this story, which is from a syndicated feed, has not been edited by Odishatv.in staff)
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