Methanesulfonic Acid Ethyl Ester

For R&D use onlynot for drug household or other uses.

Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a mutagenic teratogenic and possibly carcinogenic organic compound with formula C3H8SO3. 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 5x104 to 5x102 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 GC base pair can become an AT pair (a transition mutation). This changes the genetic information is often harmful to cells and can result in disease.