>“During the metabolic stresses of flight, some of the bat DNA is released into cells, where it doesn’t belong, and normally this would trigger a powerful immune response, however [the researchers] have shown that during evolution bats have mutated a key protein in this response called STING.”

This doesn't make sense to me. What is so special about the metabolic stress of flight? Is it different than the stress cheetah cells experience when it runs 100 kph?