In phagocytes, activation of the respiratory burst by chemoattractants requires ATP and involves a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. ATP is also required for the response elicited in permeabilized neutrophils by nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs, indicating that at least one of the ATP-dependent steps lies downstream of the receptor-coupled G protein(s). A respiratory burst can also be produced in a reconstituted cell-free system by addition of arachidonic acid. Most investigators find this response to be independent of ATP, yet stimulated by GTP analogs, implying that the ATP-dependent steps observed in the unbroken cells must precede the guanine nucleotide-requiring event. To resolve this apparent discrepancy, we studied the ATP and guanine nucleotide dependence of the oxidative response elicited by arachidonic acid in electrically permeabilized human neutrophils. Two components of the response were apparent: one was ATP-dependent, the other ATP-independent. The ATP-dependent component was partially inhibited by staurosporine, suggesting involvement of protein kinase C. This kinase signals activation of the NADPH oxidase without intervening G proteins, since stimulation by phorbol ester was unaffected by guanosine 5'-(beta-thio)diphosphate (GDP beta S). Although nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs failed to stimulate the oxidase in the absence of ATP, the ATP-independent response stimulated by arachidonic acid was found to require GTP or one of its analogs and to be inhibited by GDP beta S. The relative potency of the guanine nucleotides to support the arachidonic acid response in the absence of ATP (5'-guanylyl imidodiphosphate (GMP-PNP) greater than or equal to guanosine 5'-(gamma-thio)triphosphate GTP gamma S) greater than or equal to (GTP) differed from their efficacy to stimulate the burst in the presence of ATP (GTP gamma S greater than GMP-PNP much greater than GTP). These observations suggest the involvement of two distinct GTP-binding proteins in oxidase activation: a receptor-coupled, heterotrimeric, pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein, and a second GTP-binding protein(s) located downstream of the ATP-requiring steps, which may lie in close proximity to the NADPH oxidase. This secondary GTP-binding protein could be part of the pathway activated by chemoattractants, but does not mediate stimulation via protein kinase C. Therefore multiple parallel routes may exist for activation of the NADPH oxidase.