The study by Zhang, Wu, and Zhang investigates the potential origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that pangolins, similar to bats, are natural reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses (CoVs). The researchers identified a CoV in dead Malayan pangolins, named Pangolin-CoV, which shares 91.02% nucleotide identity with SARS-CoV-2 at the whole-genome level. Pangolin-CoV is the second closest relative of SARS-CoV-2, after RaTG13. Key amino acid residues in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein are consistent between Pangolin-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, but only SARS-CoV-2 contains a potential furin cleavage site. The study suggests that pangolins could be an intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2, which could help in controlling the global coronavirus pandemic.The study by Zhang, Wu, and Zhang investigates the potential origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that pangolins, similar to bats, are natural reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses (CoVs). The researchers identified a CoV in dead Malayan pangolins, named Pangolin-CoV, which shares 91.02% nucleotide identity with SARS-CoV-2 at the whole-genome level. Pangolin-CoV is the second closest relative of SARS-CoV-2, after RaTG13. Key amino acid residues in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein are consistent between Pangolin-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, but only SARS-CoV-2 contains a potential furin cleavage site. The study suggests that pangolins could be an intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2, which could help in controlling the global coronavirus pandemic.