Wh. Miller et al., Phosphorylation of ganciclovir phosphonate by cellular GMP kinase determines the stereoselectivity of anti-human cytomegalovirus activity, NUCLEOS NUC, 19(1-2), 2000, pp. 341-356
A racemic mixture of ganciclovir phosphonate was resolved by stereoselectiv
e phosphorylation using GMP kinase. The R-enantiomer of ganciclovir phospho
nate was active against human cytomegalovirus but the S-enantiomer was less
active. We show that enantiomeric selectivity of antiviral activity for ga
nciclovir phosphonate was conferred by stereoselective phosphorylations by
mammalian enzymes, not by stereoslective inhibition of DNA polymerase from
human cytomegalovirus.