DNA polymerases induced by herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 (KOS) and by three phosphonoformic acid-resistant strains were purified and the interaction of these enzymes with aphidicolin was examined. Incorporation of dATP, dCTP, and dTTP into activated DNA by parental enzyme was inhibited competitively by aphidicolin whereas dGTP incorporation was inhibited noncompetitively. Phosphonoformic acid-resistant enzymes were altered in KM and KI values for substrate and inhibitor, and two were inhibited by aphidicolin via the same modes as parental enzyme. However, aphidicolin competitively inhibited incorporation of dGTP by the third phosphonoformic acid-resistant enzyme under identical assay conditions. Two phosphonoformic acid-resistant enzymes were more sensitive than parental enzyme to inhibition by aphidicolin, indicating a close association between binding determinants for aphidicolin and for phosphonoformic acid on the virus DNA polymerase molecule. Aphidicolin inhibited hydrolysis of polynucleotide by HSV-1 DNA polymerase-associated nuclease. Inhibition was uncompetitive with DNA and the KI value (0.09 microM) was within the range of those calculated during nucleotide incorporation (0.071-0.74 microM). Therefore, aphidicolin may produce antiviral effects both by inhibition of deoxynucleotide incorporation and by deleterious effects resulting from inhibition of polymerase-associated nuclease.