a, Representative immunofluorescence micrographs using Fc-MelLec as a probe showing the surface distribution of MelLec-ligands on wild-type A. fumigatus and various melanin-deficient mutants. Lower panels show conidia treated with 1 M NaOH. b, Representative immunofluorescence micrographs and light microscopy images of ΔrodAΔpksP A. fumigatus conidia stained with Fc-MelLec or ConA-FITC. c, Representative histograms showing the presence or absence of MelLec or Dectin-1 ligands on ΔrodA or ΔrodAΔpksP A. fumigatus conidia. Fungal particles were stained with Fc-MelLec (red) or Fc-Dectin-1 (green) and analysed by flow cytometry. Grey histograms indicate secondary-only control. d, Representative histogram showing the presence of Dectin-1 ligands on ΔpksP A. fumigatus conidia. Fungal particles were stained with Fc-Dectin-1 (green) or Fc-CLEC12B (Fc-control; blue) and analysed by flow cytometry. e, Representative histogram showing the presence of MelLec ligands on melanin ghosts of A. fumigatus conidia. Fungal particles were stained with Fc-MelLec (red) or Fc-CLEC12B (Fc-control; blue) and analysed by flow cytometry. In a–e, experiments were repeated three times independently, with similar results. f, Flow-cytometric analysis of melanized (red) and non-melanized (grey) Cryptococcus neoformans yeast and melanin ghosts, and B16 melanoma cells⁴⁷, stained with Fc-MelLec. The experiment was repeated independently twice, with similar results.