Question

The drug AZT ______.

A.) binds to human cell receptors thereby blocking HIV's access to them
B.) inhibits the enzyme protease
C.) inhibits the production of HIV proteins
D.) inhibits the enzyme reverse transcriptase
E.) breaks down human cell receptors so that HIV cannot bind to them

Answer 1

The drug AZT (zidovudine) is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor that prevents the conversion of HIV RNA into DNA, effectively inhibiting HIV replication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The drug AZT, also known as zidovudine, was the first drug approved for the treatment of AIDS. AZT is classified as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and works by inhibiting the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is critical for the HIV life cycle because it converts the virus's RNA into DNA. AZT mimics the natural nucleoside, thymidine, and when incorporated into the viral DNA, it prevents further DNA synthesis because AZT lacks a 3'OH group required for the DNA chain elongation.