The role of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as an intermediate in interrelation between polyamine and ethylene biosynthesis was studied in suspension cultures of Nicotiana tabacum L. Exogenous SAM stimulated the polyamine and ethylene biosynthesis in 4 day-cultured cells, which were in active cell divisions, and 10 day cultured cells, which went on with active cell elongation and senescence. SAM-induced ethylene production was more effective in 10 day-cultured cells than in 4 day-cultured cells, but SAM-induced polyamine biosynthesis was more effective in 4 day-cultured cells than in 10 day-cultured cells. Polyamine contents were increased by the blockage of ethylene biosynthetic pathway in the conversion of SAM to ethylene via 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylinc acid (ACC) with aminooxyacetic acid (AOA). Also, ethylene production was increased by the inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis such as methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), dicyclohexylamine (DCHA), $alpha$-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA) and $alpha$-difluoromethylorinithine (DFMO). These results suggest that there may be interrelations between polyamine and ethylene biosynthesis for the competition of SAM and the inherent mechanism of switch on-off in polyamine and ethylene biosynthetic activity with the progress of cell growth and senescence.