Dectin-1 alone is not sufficient to bind <i>C</i>. <i>neoformans</i> spores.

<p>CHO-K1 cells were engineered to express murine Dectin-1 (Clec-7a) with a C-terminal HA tag. Dectin-1-HA protein expression and localization were verified with an antibody directed against HA and conjugated to Cy3 (red). Visual assays were used to assess binding of heat-killed <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> yeast (<b>A</b>) and heat-killed <i>C</i>. <i>neoformans</i> spores (<b>B</b>). Fungal cells were stained with calcofluor white (blue). Cells were evaluated using both light and fluorescence microscopy at 1000X magnification. White bars represent 10 μm. <b>(C)</b> Interactions between CHO cells and live yeast or live spores were quantified in a representative biological replicate (1 of 3) by assessing a minimum of 300 CHO cells (7–10 frames) per condition, and the change in association was compared in the presence or absence of Dectin-1-HA for each fungal cell type using a Fisher’s Exact Test for statistical analysis (bracket values). X-axis shows fungal cell types. Y-axis represents % CHO cells associated with fungi. Black bars represent Dectin-1-HA expressing cells. Gray bars represent cells harboring an empty expression vector (EV).