Inhibition of herpesvirus-induced thymidine kinase and DNA polymerase by beta-hydroxynorvaline.

Treatment of HSV-infected cells with 5-10 mM beta-hydroxynorvaline (Hnv), a threonine analog, specifically affects herpesvirus DNA replication: both the rate of and total DNA synthesis are reduced, the former approximately 15-fold by Hnv (6 h post-infection) and the latter by 12-fold (between 3 and 12 h post-infection). The effect on DNA replication was due to inhibition of HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK) and DNA polymerase (DP) activities; the former is reduced by 75% and whereas DP returns to baseline levels (when compared to untreated and/or uninfected cells). Host cell TK and DP activities are unaffected. It is suggested that beta-hydroxynorvaline is incorporated into these enzyme(s), either close to or at the active site thus perturbing viral DNA synthesis. beta-Hydroxynorvaline should have unique utility as a targeted antiviral compound, acting on both membrane-mediated phenomena (fusion, penetration and attachment) and DNA replication.