2'-SUBSTITUTED PURINE ARABINONUCLEOSIDE 5'-TRIPHOSPHATES AS SUBSTRATES FOR DNA-POLYMERASES

Some 2'-azido- and 2'-aminoarabinonucleoside 5'-triphosphates were sho wn to be substrates for DNA polymerases alpha from human placenta and I from E. coli, calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, avi an myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase, as well as herpes simpl ex virus type I and human cytomegalovirus DNA polymerases. Attachment of a bulky hydrophobic epsilon-(2,4-dinitrophenylamino)caproyl group t o the amino group of 2'-amino-2-deoxyarabinoadenosine 5'-triphosphate inactivated the substrate. However, the resulting compound was utilize d by herpes simplex virus type 1 and cytomegalovirus DNA polymerases a nd therefore can be used to discriminate between the latter enzymes an d cell DNA polymerases.