Distinctive properties of DNA polymerases induced by herpes simplex virus type-1 and Epstein-Barr virus

Mechanistic cross-talk between DNA/RNA polymerase enzyme kinetics and nucleotide substrate availability in cells: Implications for polymerase inhibitor discovery

Enzyme kinetic analysis reveals a dynamic relationship between enzymes and their substrates. Overall enzyme activity can be controlled by both protein expression and various cellular regulatory systems. Interestingly, the availability and concentrations of intracellular substrates can constantly change, depending on conditions and cell types. Here, we review previously reported enzyme kinetic parameters of cellular and viral DNA and RNA polymerases with respect to cellular levels of their nucleotide substrates. This broad perspective exposes a remarkable co-evolution scenario of DNA polymerase enzyme kinetics with dNTP levels that can vastly change, depending on cell proliferation profiles. Similarly, RNA polymerases display much higher Km values than DNA polymerases, possibly due to millimolar range rNTP concentrations found in cells (compared with micromolar range dNTP levels). Polymerases are commonly targeted by nucleotide analog inhibitors for the treatments of various human diseases, such as cancers and viral pathogens. Because these inhibitors compete against natural cellular nucleotides, the efficacy of each inhibitor can be affected by varying cellular nucleotide levels in their target cells. Overall, both kinetic discrepancy between DNA and RNA polymerases and cellular concentration discrepancy between dNTPs and rNTPs present pharmacological and mechanistic considerations for therapeutic discovery.

Deoxyribonucleotide analogs as inhibitors and substrates of DNA polymerases

Inhibitory and substrate properties of analogs of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates toward DNA polymerases are reviewed. A general introduction is followed by a description of DNA polymerases and the reaction that they catalyze, and sites at which substrate analogs may inhibit them. Effects of modifications in the major family of compounds, nucleotide derivatives, at the base, sugar and triphosphate portions of the molecule, are summarized with respect to retention of substrate properties and generation of inhibitory properties. Structure-activity relationships and the basis of selectivity in the second family of compounds, deoxyribonucleotide mimics, are also presented. Conclusions are drawn regarding the structural basis of inhibitor selectivity and mechanism, relationship between in vitro and in vivo effects of inhibitors, and the promise of inhibitors as probes for study of active sites of DNA polymerases.

Antiviral effects of phosphonoformate (PFA, foscarnet sodium)

This article describes the antiviral properties of foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate) at the enzyme level as well as in cell cultures and in vivo. The mechanism of action against herpesvirus DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases is outlined. Clinical studies using topical foscarnet against mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections are presented. The clinical use of intravenous foscarnet against severe viral infections caused by cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus is discussed.