Claude, an AI developed by Anthropic, has independently uncovered a novel enzyme system characterized by a series of DNA repeats that bear resemblance to CRISPR, the bacterial immune system utilized by researchers for genome editing. This marks the initial outcome from Anthropic's innovative biolab, where human researchers engage in experimental tests of AI-generated hypotheses.
In a recent undertaking, scientists instructed Claude to identify unique reverse transcriptases—enzymes responsible for converting RNA back into DNA. Over a span of 21 hours, around 950 AI agents meticulously analyzed genetic sequences, searching for irregularities that deviated from established norms. Utilizing 210 million tokens, they identified 3,500 potentially novel systems, ultimately refining their findings to 20 particularly promising candidates.
One agent highlighted a remarkable array of repetitive sequences located near the reverse transcriptase gene within the genomes of bacteriophages, viruses that specifically target bacteria. Although prior research had already pinpointed the enzyme itself, the repetitive sequences and their associated gene, whose function remains unclear, had gone unnoticed.
Anthropic emphasizes that the characteristics they discovered had only been documented in a limited number of systems, including CRISPR. All these systems share the capability to be programmed and can cut, replicate, and insert DNA. While the researchers admit that the exact role of their discovery is still not fully understood, they believe it is crucial to share these findings to demonstrate the significant potential AI holds in the realm of scientific exploration.
Informational material. 18+.