L-ficolin and H-ficolin are molecules of the innate immune system. Upon recognition of a
suitable target they activate the complement system. The ligand recognition structure of
ficolins is contained within a fibrinogen-like domain. We examined the selectivity of the
ficolins through inhibiting the binding to bacteria or to beads coupled with N-
acetylglucosamine. The binding of L-ficolin to Streptococcus pneumoniae 11F and the
beads was inhibited by N-acetylated sugars and not by non-acetylated sugars. However, it …