1. The structure of AZT(3’-azido-2’,3’-dideoxythymidine)
The structure of AZT(3’-azido-2’,3’-dideoxythymidine).This nucleoside is a major drug in the treatment of AIDS.AZT is phosphorylated in vivo to give AZTTP(AZT 5’-triphosphate),a substrate analog that binds to HIV reverse transcriptase.HIV reverse transcriptase incorporates AZTTP into growing DNA chains in place of dTTP.Incorporated AZTMP blocks further chain elongation because its 3’azido group cannot form a phosphodiester bond with an incoming nucleotide.Host cell DNA polymerases have little affinity for AZTTP.