active methyl

ac·tive meth·yl

a methyl group attached to a quaternary ammonium ion or a tertiary sulfonium ion that can take part in transmethylation reactions, for example, methyl groups in choline and in S-adenosyl-l-methionine, which are thus methyl donors.

ac·tive meth·yl

(ak'tiv meth'il) A methyl group attached to a quaternary ammonium ion or a tertiary sulfonium ion that can take part in transmethylation reactions.