Differential inhibition of DNA polymerase and RNase H activities of the reverse transcriptase by phosphonoformate

Miriam Margalith, Haya Falk, Amos Panet

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three potential inhibitors of reverse transcriptase activities, phosphonoformate (PF), phosphonoacetate (PAA), and ethyl-diethyl phosphonoformate (Et-PF), were compared in this study. Only PF was found to inhibit the DNA polymerase activity of the purified reverse transcriptase of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) and avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). The degree of DNA polymerase inhibition was linear with PF concentration; 50% inhibition was achieved at 10 μM. Whereas PF inhibited both the RNA and DNA dependent DNA polymerase activities, the RNase H activity of the reverse transcriptase was unaffected. Both the endogenous DNA polymerase activity in detergent disrupted virus and the activity of the purified enzyme with the isolated virus genome 70S RNA were inhibited by PF However, higher concentrations of PF were needed to inhibit the endogenous reaction. The inhibition by PF appeared to be reversible and noncompetitive with respect to the substrate deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP). Addition of PF after the initiation of DNA synthesis immediately arrested the reaction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)97-103
Number of pages7
JournalMolecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Volume43
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1982
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology

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