2',3'-dideoxynucleoside triphosphates (ddNTP) and di-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside tetraphosphates (ddNp4ddN) behave differently to the corresponding NTP and Np4N counterparts as substrates of firefly luciferase, dinucleoside tetraphosphatase and phosphodiesterases.

2',3'-Dideoxynucleosides (ddN) and their derivatives are currently used as antiretroviral compounds. Their active agents are the corresponding 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside triphosphates (ddNTPs) generated inside the cell by host kinases. Dinucleoside tetraphosphates (Np4Ns) are molecules of interest in metabolic regulation; their synthesis in vitro can be catalyzed by firefly luciferase. The relative synthesis of diadenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate or adenosine(5')tetraphospho(5')adenosine (Ap4A) from ATP is about 100-fold faster than that of di-2',3'-dideoxyadenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate or 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (5')tetraphospho (5')-2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAp4ddA) from ddATP. In the presence of ATPgammaS and ddATP the yield of adenosine(5')tetraphospo(5')-2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (Ap4ddA) was similar to that attained for Ap4A in the presence of ATP. The findings of this work indicate that the presence of a 3'-hydroxyl group is essential for the formation of the luciferase-luciferin-AMP complex, and explains the very low yield of ddAp4ddA in the presence of luciferase, luciferin and ddATP. The absence of 3'-hydroxyl groups in ddAp4ddA greatly hindered their hydrolysis by snake venom phosphodiesterase, asymmetrical dinucleoside tetraphosphatase and by a purified membrane preparation from rat liver. The possibility of using di-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside tetraphosphate (ddNp4ddN) or nucleoside(5')tetraphospho(5')-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside (Np4ddN) as a source of the active retroviral agent ddNTP, for example in HIV infection, is outlined.