EN
Thymidine-5'-fluorothiophosphate, dTMP(S)-F, was synthesized by the oxathiaphospholane, and thymidine 5'-dithiophosphate, dTMPS2, by the dithiaphospholane, method. To estimate the role of 5'-phosphate group ionization in binding of pyrimidine nucleotides by thymidylate synthase, dTMP(S)-F was studied as an inhibitor of mouse tumour (L1210) enzyme, and its inhibitory properties were compared with those of dTMPS2, a close dTMP analogue. While dTMPS2 proved to be an inhibitor, competitive vs dUMP, with Kiapp = 94 μM, the 5'-fluorothiophosphate congener displayed no activity, indicating that the enzyme requires for binding the presence of a dianionic 5'-phosphate group in a nucleotide.