Chemical modification of HIV-1 and HIV-2 (human immunodeficiency virus, types 1 and 2) reverse transcriptases (RT) with three thiol reactive compounds selectively inhibits the RNase H function of the enzyme. HIV-1 RT has 2 cysteines (at positions 38 and 280); HIV-2 RT has 3 (38, 280, 445). Both of the cysteines in HIV-1 RT are in the polymerase domain. To investigate the role of the cysteines in the structure and function of the HIV RTs, we have converted each cysteine to serine and made combinations of the mutations. Since HIV-1 RT has alanine at position 445, we have also substituted alanine for serine at this position in HIV-2 RT. Neither of the single mutations in HIV-1 RT nor the double mutation mimics the effects of the chemical modification. The serine 280 mutation has little effect on either polymerase or RNase H; the serine 38 mutation affects both activities, as does the 38/280 double mutant. The 38 and 280 serine mutations in HIV-2 RT resemble the equivalent mutations in HIV-1 RT. Substitution of serine or alanine at position 445 (which lies in the RNase H domain) diminishes, but does not abolish, the RNase H activity of HIV-2 without affecting polymerase activity. The RNase H activity of a mutant HIV-1 RT with serine at position 280 is completely resistant to inactivation by the three thiol reactive compounds we tested, which demonstrates that cysteine 280 is the critical residue. We suggest that the reason the mutation (cysteine 280 to serine) does not mimic the chemical modification is because the chemical modification produces a greater change in the structure of the protein. We also suggest that position 280 lies at or near the important points of contact between the RNase H and polymerase domains, so that chemical modification of this position, which lies within the polymerase domain, distorts the RNase H domain.