Streptococcus pyogenes, serotype M12, was discovered to express a human IgG3 binding protein. Western blot analysis of partially purified M12 protein, exposed to IgG3 myeloma protein, showed that both M12 Ag and the receptor protein were the same apparent size. A lambda clone (lambda 4.1) containing the emm12 open reading frame expressed both the M12 Ag and the IgG3 binding protein. The emm12 open reading frame was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and subcloned into the expression vector pJLA602. Based on Western blot analysis, one recombinant Escherichia coli (pD3) expressed M12 protein with IgG3 binding activity. This result confirmed that the M12 protein from strain CS24 is also an IgG3 receptor. Deletion analyses showed that a truncated M12 protein encoded by an internal PvuII fragment was sufficient for IgG3 binding activity. Further deletion studies suggested that the IgG3 binding domain was located in a 200 amino acid internal fragment containing two directly repeated sequences. Other experiments suggest that the receptor did not bind to the same IgG3 domain as that recognized by protein G. The M12 protein did not bind human IgG1, IgG2, IgG4, or Ig from several other animal species.