Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is not efficiently transmitted between humans, but it is highly prevalent in dromedary camels. Here we report that the MERS-CoV receptor-dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4)-is expressed in the upper respiratory tract epithelium of camels but not in that of humans. Lack of DPP4 expression may be the primary cause of limited MERS-CoV replication in the human upper respiratory tract and hence restrict transmission.

doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02994-15, hdl.handle.net/1765/90296
Journal of Virology
Department of Virology

Widagdo, W., Raj, S., Schipper, D., Kolijn, K., Leenders, G., Bosch, B. J., … Haagmans, B. (2016). Differential expression of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus receptor in the upper respiratory tracts of humans and dromedary camels. Journal of Virology, 90(9), 4838–4842. doi:10.1128/JVI.02994-15