We believe that the viral AlkB-like domains are conventional repair domains targeted towards the viral RNA. The integration of AlkB domains into viral genomes may have been provoked by environmental methylating agents, e.g. the introduction of DNA/RNA-methylating pesticides in farming. The hypothesis [1] that the domain interferes with the PTGS system of plants can not be excluded, but seems to be less consistent with observed features of the AlkB integration.