METABOLISM OF NUCLEOSIDES AND NUCLEOTIDES - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DESIGN OF NEW ANTI-HIV DRUGS

Nucleoside analogs belong to an important class of anti-HIV drugs. The ir therapeutic and toxic effects are controlled by a variety of enzyma tic systems which use nucleosides and nucleotides as substrates, inhib itors or allosteric effectors. In order to better understand this cont rol, it is necessary to increase our knowledge of the general metaboli sm of nucleosides and nucleotides. This review describes the various e nzymes, such as ribonucleotide reductase, dCMP deaminase, kinases and nucleotidases, which participate in this metabolism.