A series of N2-substituted guanine derivatives was screened against mammalian thymidine kinase and the thymidine kinase encoded by type I herpes simplex virus to examine their capacity to selectivity inhibit the viral enzyme. Several bases, nucleosides, and nucleotides displayed selective activity. The mechanism of action of the most potent derivative, W-phenyl- 2'-deoxyguanosine (PhdG) was studied in detail. PhdG (a) inhibited the viral enzyme ...
