Genomic changes associated with Mpox virus transmissibility

To conduct the study, scientists analyzed samples 46 patients are infected with the Mpox virus, whose diagnosis and sequencing were carried out at ISCIII at the beginning of the outbreak in 2022 and in which a complete genome sequence was obtained with a high degree of quality.

The goal was identify possible correlations between genomic variations in different groups of sequences and epidemiological relationships related to the virus’s ability to evolve, transmit and infect.

The authors explain that specific recurrent genomic changes were discovered that appear to be associated with virus adaptation and genomic evolution, identifying specific regions of the genome that will contribute to the modulation of its replication cycle, its adaptability, and its possible ability to be transmitted between individuals.

Genomic changes

Are changes appear especially in regions known as low-complexity genomic regions. (LCR), particularly difficult to sequence and analyze. Sequencing the entire genome of the virus using two different sequencing technologies: long read with ONT and short read with Illumina, facilitated the identification of these altered regions in the virus genome.

In particular, repetitive genomic sequences were found associated with the modulation of various viral genes, which appears to be one of the factors explaining the higher rates of virus transmission between humans observed during the 2022 monkeypox outbreak.

Genomic entropy in LCR regions, which have a very complex genomic distribution, appears to be higher than that of other, better-studied genomic mutations, such as those affecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Three genes involved

The results indicate the participation of three genes, OPG153, which can alter the rate of viral replication, OPG204 and OPG208, the latter being a possible biomarker of viral virulence whose function affects several genomic regions associated with Mpox adaptive mechanisms.

These results open a new way to continue to study the characteristics of the functional biology of the virus and the genomic variations that give it its evolutionary characteristics, which will allow us to continue to expand knowledge about its epidemiological behavior and clinical manifestations.

In a study published this week in Natural communicationsparticipates Bioinformatics Department (BU-ISCIII) and Genomics Departmenttogether with Department of Arboviruses and Imported Viral Diseases (AEVI) National Center for Microbiology (CNM), as well as employees of the Red Biomedical Research Center (Russia).CYBER) Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). Numerous Spanish hospitals participated in the study. The main authors of the work are Marie Paz Sanchez-Seco And Isabel Cuesta (AEVI and BU-ISCIII respectively) and Gustavo Palacios (ISMMS). The first to sign it were the employees of the institute. Sarah Monzon, Barn Varona (BU-ISCIII) and Anabel Negredo (AEVI) together with Santiago Vidal Freire (ISMMS).

What is the Mpox virus and what disease does it cause?

The so-called monkeypox is rare viral zoonosis caused by the Monkey virus (Mpox). The first animal cases, monkeys, were identified in the 1950s in Africa, and the first human cases were identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970; Over the past decade, their numbers have increased in a number of countries. from the Central and West African region and reaching other territories. Many European countries, including Spain, experienced an outbreak in 2022.

This virus belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirusfamilies poxviruses. Floor Orthopoxvirus includes the smallpox virus – the cause of smallpox – cow cow -used in smallpox vaccine- and vaccinia virus.

There are two different monkeypox virus lineages depending on the geographic region in which they were described: the Central African clade and the West African clade; The latter has the least virulence and has been detected in most countries outside Africa affected by the 2022 outbreak.

The disease primarily affects monkeys (non-human primates), but there is evidence that the virus persists in nature among rodents – such as squirrels and prairie dogs – that act as biological reservoirs for the virus. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans.

Link to the product:

Monzón S, Varona S, Negredo A, et al. Monkeypox virus genomic accordion strategies. Nat Commun 15, 3059 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46949-7.