To correct a common misunderstanding, ACV does NOT inhibit the HSV
thymidine kinase (TK). ACV is an alternative substrate for the enzyme and
undergoes preferential phosphorylation by viral TK but not by cellular TK.
The resulting ACV monophosphate is then phosphorylated to the
triphosphate. The ACV triphosphate is itself an alternative substrate for
DNA polymerases resulting in incorporation into viral DNA and termination
of DNA elongation.
Mike
