Phosphorylation of 5-iodo-5'-amino-2',5',dideoxyuridine by herpes simplex virus type 1 encoded thymidine kinase.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encoded thymidine kinase converts 5-iodo-5'-amino-2',5'-dideoxyuridine (AIdUrd), a highly specific anti-herpes agent, into the 5'-diphosphate (AIdUDP) derivative in vitro. AIdUDP was identified by its acid lability, sensitivity to alkaline phosphatase hydrolysis, chromatographic behavior, and ratio of double isotope (125I, 32P) labeling. ATP, but not AMP, is a phosphate donor, and the direct transfer of the beta and gamma phosphate of ATP as pyrophosphate to AIdUrd was ruled out. The presence of a phosphoramidate bond was supported by the acid lability of AIdUDP which has a half life (t1/2) of 320 min at pH 3.0. At neutral pH, the hydrolysis products are AIdUrd and orthophosphate, with AIdUrd monophosphate being the probable hydrolytic intermediate at these pH values. However, at acidic pH, some pyrophosphate was detected in addition to AIdUrd and orthophosphate. AIdUrd competitively inhibited the phosphorylation of thymidine and deoxycytidine. Escherichia coli thymidine kinase, even though 100-fold higher in activity, was unable to phosphorylate AId-Urd under similar incubation conditions.