METHYLMETHANE SULFONATE Meaning and
Definition
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Methylmethane sulfonate, also known as MMS, is a chemical compound that belongs to the class of organic sulfonates. It is an alkylating agent that contains a methyl group attached to a methanesulfonic acid moiety. MMS is primarily used in various biological and chemical research applications.
In biological studies, MMS is commonly utilized to induce DNA damage through alkylation. As an alkylating agent, it's capable of transferring the methyl group to different molecules, particularly to the DNA molecule. This alkylation process can lead to the formation of covalent DNA adducts, which can cause structural changes and chemical modifications in the DNA helix. Consequently, MMS is instrumental in studying DNA repair mechanisms, mutagenesis, and genomic instability.
Chemically, MMS is a colorless, volatile liquid that has a distinctive sulfonic acid smell. It is soluble in water and polar organic solvents, which contributes to its use in various laboratory settings. Due to its ability to induce DNA damage, MMS is handled with caution and proper safety measures in laboratories, ensuring the protection of researchers and preventing contamination.
Overall, methylmethane sulfonate is a chemical compound widely utilized in scientific research to induce DNA damage through alkylation. Its unique properties and reactivity make it invaluable in studying DNA repair mechanisms, DNA mutagenesis, and genomic instability.
Common Misspellings for METHYLMETHANE SULFONATE
- nethylmethane sulfonate
- kethylmethane sulfonate
- jethylmethane sulfonate
- mwthylmethane sulfonate
- msthylmethane sulfonate
- mdthylmethane sulfonate
- mrthylmethane sulfonate
- m4thylmethane sulfonate
- m3thylmethane sulfonate
- merhylmethane sulfonate
- mefhylmethane sulfonate
- meghylmethane sulfonate
- meyhylmethane sulfonate
- me6hylmethane sulfonate
- me5hylmethane sulfonate
- metgylmethane sulfonate
- metbylmethane sulfonate
- metnylmethane sulfonate
- metjylmethane sulfonate
- metuylmethane sulfonate
Etymology of METHYLMETHANE SULFONATE
The word "Methylmethane Sulfonate" is a scientific term used to describe a chemical compound, rather than a word with a traditional linguistic etymology.
However, we can break down the components of the word:
- Methyl: This is a prefix used in organic chemistry to indicate a molecule that contains a single carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms (-CH3). It comes from the Greek word "methy", which means "wine".
- Methane: This is the simplest hydrocarbon compound, consisting of a single carbon atom bonded with four hydrogen atoms (-CH4). The term "methane" is derived from the Greek word "methy", meaning "wine", and "hyle", meaning "wood".
- Sulfonate: This is a functional group in organic chemistry that consists of a sulfur atom bonded to three oxygen atoms and one carbon atom.
