DNA Polymerase Selectivity: Sugar Interactions Monitored with High-Fidelity Nucleotides This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. We thank Professor Dr. Michael Famulok for his continuing support.

Do enzyme–sugar interactions contribute to DNA-polymerase fidelity? With the novel chemical probes 1 (R=CH3, CH2CH3, CH(CH3)2, CH2CH(CH3)2), which are used by a DNA polymerase more selectively than the natural counterpart (R=H), insights are obtained into the influence of enzyme–sugar interactions on the selectivity of the enzyme.