Recently, we have isolated a complementary DNA most likely related to rabbit kidney cortex brush border membrane sodium/phosphate (Na/Pi) cotransport activity [NaPi-1 (1)]. To further elucidate the cellular mechanisms involved in dietary 'adaptation' of renal Na/Pi cotransport, we have exposed young rabbits for 2 weeks to either a low phosphate (Pi) diet (LPD) or a high Pi diet (HPD). Initial linear uptake of Na/Pi cotransport in isolated brush border membrane vesicles was increased in rabbits on a LPD compared with those on a HPD. Injection of equal amounts of total mRNA isolated from kidney cortex of LPD or HPD rabbits into Xenopus laevis oocytes resulted in a higher stimulation of Na-dependent oocyte Pi uptake in LPD than HPD preparations. No difference in the content of 'specific' mRNA (NaPi-1 cDNA probe, Northern blots) and of the content of the 'specific' brush border membrane protein (NaPi-1 antipeptide antibody, Western blots) between LPD and HPD preparations was observed. We conclude that 'chronic' dietary Pi deprivation leads to a protein synthesis-dependent alteration of Na/Pi cotransport activity which does not involve a change in the total amount of a protein related to the recently cloned NaPi-1 protein.