The phosphate translocator was identified in the envelope membranes of both mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts of Panicum miliaceum L. by labeling with [1,2-3H]1,2-(2,2'-disulfo-4,4'-diisothiocyano)diphenylethane ([3H]H2DIDS) and by using SDS-PAGE. Assay of 32Pi uptake by the chloroplasts showed that the phosphate translocators of both types of chloroplasts have a higher affinity for phosphoenolpyruvate than the C3 counterpart and can be regarded as C4 types.C4 plants possess two types of photosynthetic cells, namely, mesophyll and bundle sheath cells. Prerequisite for the operation of C4 photosynthesis is extensive flow of C4 dicarboxylic and C3 acids and triose-P not only intercellularly but also intracellularly (6, 14). Thus, metabolite flow across the envelope of C4 chloroplasts should be different from that of C3 chloroplasts for example, import of pyruvate and export of PEP3 in MC, and export of 3-PGA and import of triose-P in BC, especially in NADP+-malic enzyme type plants such as maize due to the limited availability of reducing power in BC.Experimental studies in MC support some of the expected differentiations in transport systems: existence of a novel translocator in the envelope membrane catalyzing light-dependent pyruvate uptake (12,20) and transport of PEP by PT (4,17,22,23). The PT in the envelope of C3 chloroplasts catalyzing a one to one exchange of Pi, triose-P, and 3-PGA, is now well characterized (7, 10, 11), and its primary structure has been recently determined (8). As stated above, the PT of C4 MC has an additional capacity for PEP and thus can be regarded as a C4 type. ' Supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.