8-Azidoadenosine was employed as a possible covalent probe of the erythrocyte nucleoside transporter. 8-Azidoadenosine was shown to enter human erythrocytes by a saturable mechanism (apparent Km for influx 80 microM) that was inhibited by nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), a potent inhibitor of nucleoside transport, and competitively inhibit uridine influx and NBMPR binding. Irradiation with UV light of human erythrocyte membranes or a partially purified preparation of the nucleoside transporter in the presence of [3H]8-azidoadenosine and dithiothreitol (as a free radical scavenger) resulted in selective covalent incorporation into the band 4.5 region of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (Mr 66,000-45,000). Covalent labeling of band 4.5 was inhibited by adenosine, uridine, and inosine, but NBMPR had no effect. Surprisingly, D-glucose and cytochalasin B, but not L-glucose and cytochalasin E, blocked covalent attachment of the ligand. No incorporation of radioactivity into membranes from rabbit and pig erythrocytes was observed, cells which transport nucleosides rapidly, but have little or no functional glucose carrier. Limited treatment with trypsin of unsealed human erythrocyte membranes photolabeled with [3H]8-azidoadenosine yielded a single radioactive fragment of Mr 19,000, a pattern identical to that obtained with [3H]cytochalasin B-labeled membranes. These results suggest that, despite 8-azidoadenosine being a permeant for the nucleoside transporter, under photoactivation 8-azidoadenosine preferentially labeled the glucose carrier.