A novel digital PCR assay for detection and comprehensive characterization of Molluscum contagiosum virus genotypes MOCV1, MOCV2, and MOCV3 and recombinant lineages

Zorec, Tomaž Mark (author), Skubic, Lucijan (author), Poljak, Mario (author)

Molluscum contagiosum virus (MOCV) is an important human pathogen causing a high disease burden worldwide. It is the last exclusively human-infecting poxvirus still circulating in its natural reservoir—a valuable model of poxviral evolution. Unfortunately, MOCV remains neglected, and little is known about its evolutionary history and circulating genomic variants, especially in non-privileged countries. The design weaknesses of available MOCV detection/genotyping assays surfaced with recent accumulation of abundant sequence information: all existing MOCV assays fail at accurate genotyping and capturing sub-genotype level diversity. Because complete MOCV genome characterization is an expensive and labor-intensive task, it makes sense to prioritize samples for whole-genome sequencing by diversity triage screening. To meet this demand, we developed a novel assay for accurate MOCV detection and genotyping, and comprehensive sub-genotype qualification to the level of phylogenetic groups (PGs). The assay included a novel set of oligonucleotide primers and probes, and it was implemented using digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR). It offers sensitive, specific, and accurate detection, genotyping (MOCV1–MOCV3), and PG qualification (PG1–6) of MOCV DNA from clinical samples. The novel dPCR assay is suitable for MOCV diversity triage screening and prioritization of samples for complete MOCV genome characterization.

• Language: English
• Keywords: molluscum contagiosum, Molluscum contagiosum virus, digital PCR, diversity screening, molecular diagnostics, sample prioritization triage
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 329, art. 114993
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-159796
• UDC: 577.2
• ISSN on article: 1879-0984
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2024.114993
• COBISS.SI-ID: 201868291
• Publication date in RUL: 25.07.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of virological methods
• Shortened title: J. virol. methods
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1879-0984
• COBISS.SI-ID: 71138051

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: molluscum contagiosum, virus Molluscum contagiosum, digitalni PCR, presejalni pregled raznolikosti, molekularna diagnostika, prednostna triaža vzorcev