Inhibition of biological methylations by t,t-farnesylacetone, a constituant of the androgenic gland of the male crab, Carcinus maenas]

t, t-farnesylacetone 1 and hexahydrofarnesylacetone 2 have been previously identified in extracts from the androgenic gland of the male Crab Carcinus maenas. These compounds inhibit in vitro the methylation of E. coli B tRNA and of Calf thymus histones with S-adenosylmethionine methyl-14C as methyl donor and methylases from Crab testis. Rat liver or a 1-adenine methylase from a Mouse plasmocytoma (1 is approximately 200 times more active than 2).