title: Ethyl methanesulfonate induces mutations in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos at a high frequency.
abstract: Mutagenesis protocols typically call for exposure of late-stage larvae or adults to a mutagen with the intention of inducing mutations in a robust germ line. Instead, ca. 16,000 CB665 [unc-58(e665)] one- to four-cell embryos of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were hand selected and exposed to ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) for 50min. Twenty-one reversion mutants were recovered, of which 17 were intragenic suppressors of the e665 mutation. The mutation frequency was 6.5-fold higher than when CB665 adults were similarly mutagenized, which was predicted given that cell-cycle checkpoints are muted in C. elegans embryos. The mutation spectrum was similar to that obtained after standard EMS mutagenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States. Electronic address: p.hartman@tcu.edu.
authors.forename: Phil S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States.
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Finstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States.
authors.forename: Numan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Education and Research Support Center, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Education and Research Support Center, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D004249:DNA Damage; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate
keywords: C. elegans; Embryo mutagenesis; Ethyl methanesulfonate; unc-58