HIV replication requires conversion of the genomic RNA present in the infecting virus to a double stranded DNA that integrates i
nto a human chromosome. Unlike DNA polymerase, HIV reverse transcriptase catalyzes DNA chain elongation from either a DNA or RNA template. Azidothymidine (AZT) was the first effective drug used to inhibit HIV reverse transcriptase and went into clinical use in 1987 to treat AIDS. What best describes how AZT inhibits reverse transcriptase
AZT inhibits reverse transcriptase enzyme that is used by the virus to make a DNA copy of its RNA. This Azidothymidine prevent reverse transcriptase enzyme from doing its function properly. Due to absence of this enzyme, the HIV virus is unable to make copies of its DNA and this Azidothymidine stops the life cycle of the virus and slows the growth of AIDS disease so that's why this drug was considered effective against HIV virus and used in the treatment of AIDS disease.
