Na+-independent and nonstereospecific transport of 2-hydroxy 4-methylthiobutanoic acid by brush border membrane vesicles from chick small intestine.

1. The transport of L- and DL-2-hydroxy 4-methylthiobutanoic acid (HMB), the methionine hydroxy analogue, by brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from chick small intestine was the sum of a saturable Michaelian component and a diffusive term. 2. Unlike that of L- and DL-MET, uptake was Na+-independent and electroneutral. 3. The inhibition of L-HMB transport by L-lactate, a structural analogue, and D-HMB as well, was of the competitive type. 4. Preloading of BBMV with D-HMB but not with L-lactate or L-MET trans-stimulated the influx of labelled L-HMB. 5. HMB uptake by rat and chick intestinal BBMV exhibited similar characteristics but the chick nonstereospecific transport system appeared to be unable to carry out L-lactate translocation.