Two forms of the NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase were partially purified from Dictyostelium discoideum, an activated and a non-activated form. V(max) for the non-activated enzyme was stimulated 88-fold and the activated enzyme 3-fold by 0.1 mM AMP (at their pH optima). Half maximal stimulation by AMP is achieved at 221 +/- 39 microM for the non-activated enzyme and 20 +/- 2 microM for the activated enzyme. We have shown that activation of NAD-GDH in vivo has many similarities to trypsin treatment of non-activated enzyme and that proteolysis is the probable mechanism of activation.