A comparison of the conformations of the 5'-triphosphates of zidovudine (AZT) and thymidine bound to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Nuclear Overhauser effect experiments were performed at 500 MHz to determine the conformations of AZTTP and dTTP when bound to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The conformations of both ligands were found to be similar in the bound state. The orientation of the glycosidic angle is anti (chi = -120 degrees +/- 12 for AZTTP and -110 degrees +/- 12 for dTTP), gamma is +sc and the pucker of the 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxy- and 2'-deoxyribose rings is predominantly C4' exo (P = 60 degrees +/- 10 for AZTTP and 55 degrees +/- 8 for dTTP). These results indicate that the unusual C4'endo/C3'exo pucker (P = 215 degrees) reported for the dideoxyribose ring of AZT in the solid state does not play a role in the interaction of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with AZTTP.