[32P]ADP-ribosylation of membrane proteins catalyzed by either cholera toxin or pertussis toxin was markedly enhanced by NADP+. The effect was concentration dependent; with 20 microM [32P]NAD+ as a substrate maximal enhancement was obtained at a concentration of 0.5-1.0 mM NADP+ for rabbit and guinea-pig liver membranes and 0.1 mM NADP+ for human erythrocyte membranes. NADP+ appears to act by inhibiting the degradation of NAD+ by NAD+-glycohydrolase (NADase) present in membrane preparations, probably as an alternate substrate for the enzyme. Among inhibitors tested (NADP+, isonicotinic acid hydrazide, imidazole, nicotinamide, L-arginine methyl ester and HgCl2) to suppress the enzyme activity, NADP+ was the most effective and, at 10 mM, inhibited hepatic NADase activity by about 90%. The effect of NADP+ was much greater than that of other known effectors of ADP-ribosylation such as Mg2+ and phosphate, or the NADase inhibitors, isonicotinic acid hydrazide and isonicotinamide. In membranes which contain substantial activities of NADase the inclusion of NADP+ in the assay system is necessary to achieve maximal ADP-ribosylation of membrane proteins.