Scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have identified a new route to detect Monkeypox and develop diagnostic tools for the infection. The Science and Technology Ministry said that the scientists have identified and characterized DNA sequences within the Monkeypox virus (MPV) genome.

The Ministry noted that this identification, characterization, and targeting of unusual nucleic acid structures have therapeutic implications. The outbreak of the Mpox virus has raised serious concerns about its unanticipated spread across the globe, as the modes of transmission and symptoms are not well understood. The virus is a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus and contains unusual DNA structures that can be targeted through small-molecule fluorescent probes. One such unusual noncanonical conformation, G-quadruplex sequences (GQs), are not present in other pox viruses, other pathogens, or the human genome, which makes them valuable targets for the development of diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions. The GQs identified in the MPV genome can also serve as potential antiviral targets.

The Ministry said that the identification and characterization of new GQ sequences in the monkeypox virus (MPV) could help the broader scientific community seeking to understand the virology of MPV or develop diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.