Fc gamma receptor I (FcγRI) contributes to protective immunity against bacterial infections, but exacerbates certain autoimmune diseases. The sole high-affinity IgG receptor, FcγRI plays a significant role in immunotherapy. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of its high-affinity IgG binding, we determined the crystal structure of the extracellular domains of human FcγRI in complex with the Fc domain of human IgG 1 . FcγRI binds to the Fc in a similar mode as the low-affinity FcγRII and FcγRIII receptors. In addition to many conserved contacts, FcγRI forms additional hydrogen bonds and salt bridges with the lower hinge region of Fc. Unique to the high-affinity receptor-Fc complex, however, is the conformation of the receptor D2 domain FG loop, which enables a charged KHR motif to interact with proximal carbohydrate units of the Fc glycans. Both the length and the charge of the FcγRI FG loop are well conserved among mammalian species. Ala and Glu mutations of the FG loop KHR residues showed significant contributions of His-174 and Arg-175 to antibody binding, and the loss of the FG loopglycan interaction resulted in an ∼20-to 30-fold decrease in FcγRI affinity to all three subclasses of IgGs. Furthermore, deglycosylation of IgG 1 resulted in a 40-fold loss in FcγRI binding, demonstrating involvement of the receptor FG loop in glycan recognition. These results highlight a unique glycan recognition in FcγRI function and open potential therapeutic avenues based on antibody glycan engineering or small molecular glycan mimics to target FcγRI for certain autoimmune diseases.CD64 | FcgRI | IgG recognition | crystal structure | glycan recognition I gGs and pentraxins are circulating immune components that directly recognize pathogens. On formation of immune complexes or opsonization, they activate cellular response through Fc receptors (FcRs) (1, 2). The FcRs for IgGs include FcγRI (CD64); FcγRII (CD32) with A, B, and C isoforms; and FcγRIII (CD16) with two isoforms (3). Most of these are activating receptors either containing an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif or associated with an FcR common γ chain (4). FcγRIIB is an inhibitory receptor that contains an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif. FcγRIIIB does not have a cytosolic domain and is anchored to the plasma membrane through glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage. The binding affinity to IgG ranges from 10 −8 M for FcγRI to 10 −5-10 −7 M for FcγRII and III (3).FcγRI plays an important role in the protection against bacterial infections, but also exacerbates certain autoimmune diseases (5). Owing to its high-affinity antibody binding, FcγRI is important in antibody therapy as well (6, 7). To date, the structure of the ligand-bound high-affinity receptor has not been determined, however. Consequently, the mechanism of its highaffinity antibody recognition remains to be elucidated. The role of glycan in antibody function has been a subject of intense study. Differential glycosylation of Fc, notably fucosylated Fc, is...