The first class of antiviral drugs developed to treat HIV infection, such as AZT, were known as reverse transcriptase inhibitors. How did these drugs carry out their functions?
A) The drugs targeted and destroyed the viral genome before it could be reverse transcribed into DNA.
B) The drug molecules bonded to the dsDNA genome of the virus in such a way that it could not separate for replication to occur.
C) The drug molecules bonded to the viral reverse transcriptase enzyme, thus preventing the virus from making a DNA copy of its RNA genome.
D) The drugs prevented host cells from producing the enzymes used by the virus to replicate its genome.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors, such as AZT, work by binding to the viral reverse transcriptase enzyme and preventing it from making a DNA copy of the viral RNA genome. This prevents the virus from replicating and spreading throughout the body.

The First Class of Antiviral Drugs Developed to Treat HIV