A new development in AI-driven biology has seen Anthropic’s Claude model identify a previously unrecognised enzyme system with features similar to mechanisms found in CRISPR gene-editing technology. The company said the discovery is the first result from its biology research efforts.
The finding comes days after a report revealed that Anthropic had quietly set up a wet lab in the San Francisco Bay Area. The move reflects the company’s growing focus on life sciences and drug-related research beyond computer-based work.
Anthropic said Claude examined large DNA databases and identified an unusual system centred on reverse transcriptase (RT), an enzyme that copies RNA into DNA.
The company has named the system array-associated reverse transcriptases, or ART.
According to Anthropic, ART contains repeating DNA sequences that resemble patterns found in CRISPR. While the RT at the centre of the system had already been identified in earlier studies, the company said Claude appeared to be the first to recognise important features of the wider system.
These features include an array of non-coding DNA sequences and an additional protein whose function is still unknown.
The discovery marks an early result from Anthropic’s efforts to apply AI to biological research, as the company expands its work into life sciences and drug-related areas.
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