this head line has the wrong end of the stick, the gene in question is a known transposable element AKA a jumping gene, so no a virus didnt steal a gene.A transposable element partook of vertical gene flow to a conspecific expression system.<a href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/09/new-type-human-jumping-gene-found-poxvirus" rel="nofollow">https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/09/new-type-human-jump...<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposable_element" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposable_element
rolph · · focus · HN ↗
A transposable element partook of vertical gene flow to a conspecific expression system.
<a href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/09/new-type-human-jumping-gene-found-poxvirus" rel="nofollow">https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/09/new-type-human-jump...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposable_element" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposable_element