Anthropic says Claude agents found a new CRISPR-like enzyme system in phage DNA
About 950 Claude agents searched sequence databases for 21 hours and flagged array-associated reverse transcriptases (ART) in bacteriophages: a reverse transcriptase, an adjacent partner gene and CRISPR-like repeat arrays. Anthropic's own BSL-1/2 lab expressed and characterised the proteins and found the arrays are transcribed into distinct short RNAs; CRISPR pioneer Feng Zhang, commenting on the preprint, called the findings 'genuinely intriguing', and the system's biological function is still unknown.
Why it matters
It shows a frontier lab running end-to-end discovery with its own wet lab, raising both the promise and the biosecurity questions of agentic biology.
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- DevelopmentGoogle unveils Gemini-based 'AI co-scientist' with lab-validated hypotheses19 Feb 2025 · Research · US, GBFollows from: From AI-proposed hypotheses to AI-led discovery with lab follow-up
- DevelopmentGoogle DeepMind publishes SynthID Bio watermarking for AI-designed proteins in Nature30 Sep 2026 · Research · GB, USContrasts with: Capability gains in AI biology alongside traceability safeguards
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Earlier developments on the same thread
- DevelopmentDeepMind releases AlphaGenome Atlas scoring all 9bn single-letter human DNA changes8 Sep 2026 · Launch · GB, US
- DevelopmentAnthropic launches Claude for Healthcare with HIPAA-ready tools for providers and payers11 Jan 2026 · Launch · US
- DevelopmentAnthropic discloses largely AI-run espionage campaign by Chinese state group13 Nov 2025 · Incident · US, CN
- DevelopmentMIT team uses generative AI to design new antibiotics active against gonorrhoea and MRSA14 Aug 2025 · Research · US
Same story elsewhere
What other countries and bodies did on this
- DevelopmentInsilico doses first patients in Phase III trial of AI-discovered drug rentosertib10 Sep 2026 · Research · CN
- DevelopmentIsomorphic Labs raises $2.1bn for its AI drug-design engine12 May 2026 · Deal · GB
Rules in play
Laws and guidance this touches
- RuleAI Action PlanUS · In force · 23 Jul 2025
- RuleAI Opportunities Action PlanGB · In force · 13 Jan 2025
Threads by topic: Biology AI agents Biosecurity