This option reflects the "Escape Hypothesis" (also known as the Vagrancy Hypothesis), which is often cited in examination contexts as a leading modern view on viral origins. It proposes that viruses evolved from bits of genetic material, such as plasmids or transposons, that "escaped" from the genomes of larger organisms. These fragments acquired a protein coat and the ability to move between cells, essentially becoming infectious fragments of their host's nucleic acids.

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