The binding of myelin basic protein to lysolauroylphosphatidylcholine (lysoLPC) and lysolauroylphosphatidylethanolamine was investigated at neutral pH using gel partition chromatography and equilibrium dialysis at 20 and 37 degrees C. The results show that the protein-lysolipid interactions are highly cooperative and that the free lysolipid concentration at which the binding commences is markedly influenced by both the chemical structure of the lysolipids and the temperature. The binding begins just below the critical micelle concentration for both lysolipids, which suggests that the forces governing micellization and the binding are similar. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was used to follow changes in the conformation of the protein caused by lysomyristoylphosphatidylcholine and lysoLPC. The CD results indicate that lysolipid association with the protein commences below the critical micelle concentration and continues above this concentration. Mechanisms for the lysolipid-protein interaction, which are consistent with the binding and CD data, are discussed.