The effect of the purine analog 3-deazaadenosine (dzAdo) on the metabolism of sulfur-containing compounds was examined in hepatocytes. The uptake of exogenous methionine by the liver was not affected by the addition of dzAdo to the perfusate, while the intracellular concentrations of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) continued to increase as long as exogenous methionine was available. In addition, large amounts of 3-deazaadenosyl-L-homocysteine (dzAdoHcy) accumulated in the cell. The specific radioactivity of the carbon chain of dzAdoHcy was the same as that of AdoMet and AdoHcy. Consequently, an equivalent amount of homocysteine (Hcy) must have been generated via hydrolysis of AdoHcy. Free Hcy could not be detected either in the tissue or perfusate when dzAdo was present, while Hcy was excreted into the perfusate by control livers. Consequently, the AdoHcy and DzAdoHcy that accumulate in the cell not only function as inhibitors of methylation reactions, but serve as a trap for Hcy. This could result in methionine starvation and hence, inhibition of protein synthesis.