Description
Mannan binding lectin (MBL) belongs to the collectin family of innate immune defense proteins, which bind an array of carbohydrate patterns on pathogen surfaces. Collectin family members share several common structural features including a N-terminal, cysteine-rich domain, a collagen-like region, an alpha-helical coiled-coil neck domain and a C-terminal, C-type (Ca2+-dependent ) lectin or carbohydrate recognition domain. MBL homotrimerizes to form a structural unit joined by N-terminal disulfide bonds. These homotrimers further associate into oligomeric structures of up to six units