2′-O-Methyladenosine

2′-O-Methyladenosine (2′-OMeA) is a nucleoside that is a low-energy analog of adenosine. It has been shown to be an effective inhibitor of protein synthesis in vitro, by inhibiting RNA polymerase in the process of transcription. 2′-OMeA has also been shown to inhibit virus replication in vitro and to have potent inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). 2′-OMeA inhibits viral replication by binding to the viral ribonucleotide reductase enzyme and blocking the conversion of ribonucleotides into deoxyribonucleotides. The chemical structures of 2′-OMeA are similar to those found in fatty acids and can be detected using chemical ionization mass spectroscopy. The sequence for 2′-OMeA was determined through sequencing methods including NMR spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance data analysis.