Claude Autonomously Discovers a Novel Enzyme System

Anthropic reported this week that Claude found an enzyme system linked to an array of DNA repeats without being directed to search for it. The system is programmable and can cut, copy, and paste DNA. It is based on a reverse transcriptase already known to science. Claude appears to be the first to notice the associated array of non-coding DNA sequences and a second accessory protein that define the system.

The biological function of the system is still unknown. But the discovery came from an autonomous search, not a guided experiment. Separately, Anthropic confirmed it runs a physical wet biology lab in the Bay Area. The lab uses AI models to run real experiments, focuses on fundamental biology rather than drug discovery, and accepts vetted external bio researchers through a Life Sciences Verification program.