We examined the regulation of the renal cortical basolateral Na-HCO3 cotransporter by G proteins. Na-HCO3 cotransporter activity was measured in highly purified rabbit renal cortical basolateral membranes (BLMV) as the difference in 22Na uptake in presence of HCO3- and gluconate. HCO(3-)-dependent 22Na uptake was significantly inhibited by 10 microM guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S), a G protein activator. In contrast, addition of 50 microM guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S), an inhibitor of G protein, prevented the inhibition of the Na-HCO3 cotransporter activity by GTP gamma S. AlF4-, another G protein activator, also inhibited the activity of the Na-HCO3 cotransporter. This inhibitory effect of G protein on the Na-HCO3 cotransporter activity was not prevented by dideoxyadenosine, an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, or by the protein kinase A inhibitor, suggesting a direct effect of G protein on the cotransporter. To identify the G proteins that mediate the regulation of the Na-HCO3 cotransporter, purified BLMV were ADP ribosylated in presence of cholera toxin or pertussis toxin. Autoradiograms of BLMV incubated with [32P]NAD showed that cholera and pertussis toxins caused ADP ribosylation of 42- and 41-kDa G proteins, respectively. To determine whether the ADP ribosylation by cholera or pertussis toxin was associated with alterations of the Na-HCO3 cotransporter activity, we measured HCO(3-)-dependent 22Na uptake in BLMV treated with 20 micrograms/ml cholera toxin or with 100 ng/ml pertussis toxin. Na-HCO3 cotransporter activity was significantly decreased by both cholera and pertussis toxins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)