| Ethyl methanesulfonate[1] | |
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1-Methylsulfonyloxyethane |
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Other names
Ethyl mesylate |
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| Identifiers | |
| Abbreviations | EMS |
| CAS number | 62-50-0 |
| PubChem | 6113 |
| ChemSpider | 5887 |
| KEGG | C19239 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL338686 |
| Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | CH3SO3C2H5 |
| Molar mass | 124.16 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Density | 1.1452 g/cm3 (22 °C) |
| Melting point |
< 25 °C |
| Boiling point |
213–213.5 °C, 486.2-486.7 K |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 |
1
1
0
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| (verify) (what is: /?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a mutagenic, teratogenic, and possibly carcinogenic organic compound with formula CH3SO3C2H5. It produces random mutations in genetic material by nucleotide substitution; particularly by guanine alkylation. This typically produces only point mutations. It can induce mutations at a rate of 5x10-4 to 5x10-2 per gene without substantial killing. The ethyl group of EMS reacts with guanine in DNA, forming the abnormal base O-6-ethylguanine. During DNA replication, DNA polymerases that catalyze the process frequently place thymine, instead of cytosine, opposite O-6-ethylguanine. Following subsequent rounds of replication, the original G:C base pair can become an A:T pair. This changes the genetic information, is often harmful to cells, and can result in disease.
EMS is often used in genetics as a mutagen. Mutations induced by EMS can then be studied in genetic screens or other assays.