Functional expression of recombinant human macrophage β-glucan receptor dectin-1 using baculovirus-silkworm expression system.

Human macrophage dectin-1, a type II transmembrane β-glucan receptor, was expressed as a fusion protein with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag in a baculovirus-silkworm expression system and assayed for binding activity. Recombinant dectin-1 specifically bound to some β-glucans, and the neck domain and N-linked oligosaccharide chains of human dectin-1 did not affect the ligand binding activity and specificity of the receptor.