In renal epithelial cells amino acid deprivation induces an increase in L-Asp transport with a doubling of the Vmax and no change in Km (4.5 micronM) in a cycloheximide-sensitive process. The induction of sodium-depending L-aspartate transport was inhibited by single amino acids that are metabolized to produce glutamate but not by those that do not produce glutamate. The transaminase inhibitor aminooxyacetate in glutamine-free medium caused a decrease in cell glutamate content and an induction of glutamate transport. In complete medium aminooxyacetate neither decreased cell glutamate nor increased transport activity. These results are consistent with a triggering of induction of transport by low intracellular glutamate concentrations. High affinity glutamate transport in these cells is mediated by the excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAC1) gene product. Western blotting using antibodies to the C-terminal region of EAAC1 showed that there is no increase in the amount of EAAC1 protein on prolonged incubation in amino acid-free medium. Conversely, the induction of high affinity glutamate transport by hyperosmotic shock was accompanied by an increase in EAAC1 protein. It is proposed that low glutamate levels lead to the induction of a putative protein that activates the EAAC1 transporter. A model illustrating such a mechanism is described.