1 - Acyclovir, an antiviral agent Flashcards
1
Q
What virus is acyclovir used to treat?
A
herpes
2
Q
What the the role of the enzyme thymidine kinase in viral replication?
A
make the protein coat of the virus
3
Q
what is a nucleoside analogue?
A
molecules that act like nucleosides in DNA synthesis
4
Q
What is the action of acyclovir in terminating the DNA chain?
A
it doesn’t have a 3’ hydroxyl group, so cannot be phosphorylated and continue the chain
5
Q
How is acyclovir activated?
A
becomes activated when it comes into contact with thymidine kinase
- administered in the inactive form
- enters a cell where thymidine kinase in present, and is converted into Acyclo-GMP
- Acyclo-GMP—–>acyclo-GDP (using guanylate cyclase)
- Acyclo-GDP—–>acyclo-GTP (using phosphotransferases)
- acyclo-GTP is active
6
Q
How does Acyclo-GTP exhibit selective toxicity?
A
it works well with Viral DNA polymerase, and doesn’t work well with the hose cell polymerase
it gets incorporated into the viral DNA
