An open and closed case for all polymerases

The recently determined structures of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and Taq D NA polymerase in complex with DNA primer-template and an incoming nucleotid e have shown that a large conformational change configures the polymerase a ctive site for nucleotidyl transfer. The structure of reverse transcriptase in the catalytic complex will open the path to the rational design of nove l nucleoside analog inhibitors of viral replication.