The Sound of Evolution
Foscarnet
Mechanism of action:
Foscarnet is an inorganic pyrophosphate analog. Foscarnet directly binds to the pyrophosphate-binding site on viral DNA polymerase and competitively blocks the release of pyrophosphate from deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) during DNA synthesis, thereby interrupting viral DNA synthesis.
Reference(s):
1. Ducancelle A et al. (2007). Development and validation of a non-radioactive DNA polymerase assay for studying cytomegalovirus resistance to foscarnet. J Virol Methods.
2. Bonnafous P et al. (2007). Different mutations in the HHV-6 DNA polymerase gene accounting for resistance to foscarnet. Antivir Ther.
3. Tchesnokov EP et al. (2006). Role of helix P of the human cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase in resistance and hypersusceptibility to the antiviral drug foscarnet. J Virol.