The technology relates in part to multimer conjugates comprising a scaffold linked to two or more polypeptides that specifically interact with a nucleic acid containing beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine or beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil. The scaffold can be chosen from an antibody, an antibody fragment, a multimerized binding partner that interacts with a binding partner counterpart in each of the polypeptides, a polymer, and a polyfunctional molecule. The polypeptides can be from a kinetoplastid flagellate organism and may comprise a full-length native or modified protein or a fragment thereof that specifically interacts with the beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine and/or the beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil in the nucleic acid. The conjugates provided herein can be used to detect the presence, absence or amount of beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethylcytosine and/or beta-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil-containing nucleic acid in a sample.