The plasma membrane of Spiroplasma apis contains a 2S-kDa major protein (P28), like other spiroplasmas which also possess a main 26- to 28-kDa membrane polypeptide, called spiralin. In the work described here, we have developed a simple and efficient method for the purification of P28 of this mollicute, a wall-less eubacteria. Proteins were first selectively extracted from the isolated membrane with the mild detergents (i) sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate (Sarkosyl) and (ii) 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylamoniol-l-propyI sulfonate (Chaps) and subjected to size-exclusion HPLC in the presence of Chaps. The P28-enriched fraction was thereafter subjected to the second chromatographic step involving cation exchange HPLC in the presence of the same detergent. P28 was purified at the milligram level (yield, 40%). Metabolite labeling with [C-14]palmitic acid and chemical analysis of P28 indicated that it is covalently modified by two O-ester-bound fatty acids and one amide-linked chain and contains a S-glyceryleysteine at the N-terminus. By charge-shift electrophoresis, Triton X-114 phase separation, and growth inhibition tests it was shown that P28 is a typical amphiphilic protein exposed, at least partly, at the cell surface. Together, our data provided evidence that P28 is a "classical" lipoprotein (i.e., triacylated) like the members of the spiralin family. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).