In streptolysin O permeabilized acini that were normally responsive to carbamylcholine and cholecystokinin octapeptide, amylase secretion was stimulated: a) by the stable guanyl nucleotides with a potency decreasing as follows: guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) greater than guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (GMP-PNP) = guanylyl-(beta, gamma-methylene)-diphosphonate (GMP-PCP), in the presence of 0.5 mM calcium and b) by calcium alone (EC50 3 microM). The maximal secretory effect of calcium alone (a 2-fold increase) was less effective than that of GTP gamma S and calcium offered in combination (an 8-fold increase). In the virtual absence of Ca2+, GTP gamma S still stimulated amylase release (a 3-fold increase) while 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) did not. The relative potencies of guanyl nucleotides were GTP gamma S greater than GMP-PNP = GMP-PCP = GTP on phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) breakdown, GTP gamma S greater than GMP-PNP greater than GMP-PCP = GTP on 45Ca2+ efflux, and GTP GMP-PNP = GMP-PCP = GTP gamma S on [1-14C]arachidonate efflux. Based on these data, the contribution of G proteins to stimulus-secretion coupling beyond the transduction of receptor signal is considered.