To study the nature of the glucose binding pocket of the renal Na+/D-glucose cotransporter, we have evaluated the inhibitory potency of various alkylglucosides (AG) on sodium-dependent D-glucose uptake into hog kidney brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Inhibition at 0.1 mM AG level was found to be strongly dependent on the anomeric configuration, on the length and on the flexibility of the side chain. Beta-n-AG inhibited transport significantly more effectively compared to the corresponding alpha-anomer (n-octylglucoside: alpha-anomer 15%, beta-anomer 84%) and AG with an unsaturated n-alkenyl side chain were significantly less effective inhibitors than the corresponding saturated compound (cis/trans 3-n-beta-hexenylglucoside 53% and 32%, beta-n-hexylglucoside 76%). A series of beta-n-AG increasing in side chain length from 1 to 13 carbon atoms revealed a global maximum in the inhibition pattern when beta-AG with side chains ranging from 8 to 11 carbon atoms were used, thus beta-methylglucoside inhibited glucose transport by 13%, beta-n-nonylglucoside by 92%, and beta-n-tridecylglucoside showed no effect. Kinetic analysis of inhibition by beta-n-octylglucoside revealed a fully competitive type of inhibition with an apparent K(i) of 10 +/- 2 microM. n-Octylglucoside at 0.1 mM did not inhibit sodium-dependent L-alanine uptake; similarly, n-octylmannoside at 0.1 mM level did not affect D-glucose uptake. These results suggest that the inhibition of sodium-dependent D-glucose uptake was, at least in the concentration range tested (up to 0.1 mM), not due to a detergent effect of AG, but due to interaction with the carrier. Optimum interaction requires a beta-anomer with a glycosidic bond that places the alkyl chain into an equatorial position with regard to the D-glucose molecule and the two main determinants of the sugar recognition site C2 and C3. In addition, the alkyl chain has to be highly flexible. The alkyl chains thus apparently interact with hydrophobic sites at the carrier in a slightly coiled conformation, thereby AG with a chain length up to 6 carbon atoms interact only with one hydrophobic site, AG with higher chain length probably with two sites.