We have used a reconstitution assay to demonstrate that protein translocation activity can be recovered after microsomal vesicles derived from the rough endoplasmic reticulum have been partially solubilized with n-octyl-beta-glucopyranoside. Two independent approaches were used to establish conditions for partially solubilizing microsomal membranes. When the lipid bilayer was disrupted by detergents to the extent that the integrity of the lipid bilayer had been perturbed, membranes were inactive for translocation. However, detergent-treated membranes could be reconstituted in good yield into a translocation competent form once the detergent was removed.