Since glutamine enters rat kidney mitochondria without exchange for an anion, the exit of its carbon skeleton must involve the dicarboxylate anion transporter (malate - inorganic phosphate) for ammoniagenesis to proceed. Therefore, this important mitochondrial anion transporter was studied in isolated renal cortex mitochondria. The phosphate concentration required for half-maximal rates of malate exit from renal mitochondria of normal rats was 1.0 mM. This value was not decreased in renal cortex mitochondria from rats with chronic metabolic acidosis. The maximum velocity of the dicarboxylate transporter was not increased in renal cortex mitochondria from these acidotic rats. These kinetic parameters were similar in liver mitochondria. There was no acute activation of the dicarboxylate carrier when the incubation medium pH lowered. Thus, there is no demonstrable activation of the dicarboxylate anion transporter in kidney cortex mitochondria of the rat with chronic metabolic acidosis. The significance of these results with respect to the regulation of renal ammoniagenesis is discussed.