Unraveling DPP4 Receptor Interactions with SARS-CoV-2 Variants and MERS-CoV: Insights into Pulmonary Disorders via Immunoinformatics and Molecular Dynamics.

Human coronaviruses like MERS CoV are known to utilize dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), apart from angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2) as a potential co-receptor for viral cell entry. DPP4, the ubiquitous membrane-bound aminopeptidase, is closely associated with elevation of disease severity in comorbidities. In SARS-CoV-2, there is inadequate evidence for combination of spike protein variants with DPP4, and underlying adversity in COVID-19.