The effects of a glutamine-enriched diet on the transport of glutamine across brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from the rat jejunum were studied to gain further insight into the effects of diet on regulating gut glutamine utilization. Following fasting, rats were randomized to one of three nutritionally complete elemental diets supplemented with glutamine, glutamate, or glycine (control). Brush border membrane vesicles were prepared by a Mg2+ aggregation/differential centrifugation technique and uptake of radioactive [3H]glutamine by the BBMV was studied using a rapid mixing/filtration technique. BBMVs from all test diet groups were enriched in alkaline phosphatase 14-fold. [3H]Glutamine uptake courses for all groups demonstrated sodium dependency, overshoots, and similar 2-hr equilibrium values. Vesicles from animals fed the glutamine-enriched diet had a 75% increase in glutamine uptake compared to those of the control diet and a 250% increase compared to those of the glutamate-enriched diet (P less than 0.05). alpha-Methylamino isobutyric acid and glycine did not significantly inhibit total [3H]glutamine uptake, whereas asparagine and glutamine inhibited total [3H]glutamine uptake compared to the mannitol control. The brush border appears to possess the glutamine selective System N transporter, the activity of which can be stimulated by providing dietary glutamine.