The bovine cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CD-MPR) contains five potential N-linked glycosylation sites, four of which are utilized. To evaluate the function of these oligosaccharides, site-directed mutagenesis was used to generate glycosylation-deficient CD-MPR mutants lacking various potential glycosylation sites. The mutants were constructed in both a full-length and a soluble truncated (STOP155 construct) form of the receptor and their properties were examined in transfected COS-1 cells. The results showed that the presence of a single oligosaccharide chain, particularly at position 87, on the CD-MPR significantly enhanced its mannose 6-phosphate (Man-6-P)-binding ability when compared with non-glycosylated receptors. In addition, the presence of a single oligosaccharide chain at position 87, and to a lesser degree at position 31 or 81, promoted the secretion of the STOP155 CD-MPR. Pulse-labelling of transfected COS-1 cells followed by immunoprecipitation with binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP)-specific and CD-MPR-specific antibodies indicated that BiP associated with the non-glycosylated forms of the receptor but not with the wild-type CD-MPR. Furthermore, the association of the various glycosylation-deficient forms of the CD-MPR with BiP correlated inversely with their ability to bind Man-6-P. From these results we conclude that N-glycosylation of the bovine CD-MPR facilities the folding of the nascent polypeptide chain into a conformation that is conductive for intracellular transport and ligand binding.