Related: [[./Lab Management MOC|Lab Management MOC]] Chemical Formula: C6H10O5
![[./diethyl pyrocarbonate-treated water-2.png|diethyl pyrocarbonate-treated water-2.png]]
DEPC is used to inactivate RNase enzymes in water and on lab equipment, by modifying histidine, lysine, cysteine, and tyrosine residues. DEPC-treated water reduces the risk of RNA degradation via RNases.
buffer compatibility
- DEPC is unstable in water and shouldn’t be used in Tris or HEPES buffers
- can be used with PBS or MOPS
rule: enzymes/chemicals with active -O: -N: or -S: can’t be treated with DEPC because DEPC will react with these groups
How to make DEPC treated water
- water is treated with 0.1% DEPC for 2 hours at room temperature-37ºC, then autoclaved to inactivate DEPC
- DEPC inactivation via autoclaving yields CO2 and ethanol