Claude discovers ART, a CRISPR-like enzyme system: 950 AI agents uncover new biology in bacterial viruses in 21 hours

## Claude discovers ART, a CRISPR-like enzyme system Anthropic announced that its Claude model helped discover a completely new enzyme system, array-associated reverse transcriptases (ART), found in bacteriophages and featuring CRISPR-like arrays of repeated sequences. It is the first result of Anthropic's biology research work. **Key points** - **How the AI found it**: 950 agents, each able to plan and carry out tasks independently, spent 21 hours searching huge DNA databases, screened out 3,500 reverse transcriptases (RTs) and narrowed them to the 20 most worth a closer look. One agent noticed that next to an oddly shaped RT gene sat a stretch of repeated DNA pattern; deeper analysis confirmed it as a previously undescribed biological system. - **What ART is**: At its core is a reverse transcriptase (an enzyme that copies RNA into DNA), plus an array of non-coding DNA repeats and a new protein of unknown function. The overall structure resembles the CRISPR systems in bacteria, but it appears in viruses that attack bacteria (bacteriophages). - **Speed comparison**: Anthropic says a senior human scientist would need weeks to months for comparable analysis. - **Background and controversy**: This is the first biology result Anthropic has delivered since quietly building a wet lab in the Bay Area. After the announcement, some researchers raised questions about the originality and priority of the work, and verification is still under way; this context is worth presenting when citing it. > Source: [read the original](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/anthropic-says-claude-ai-helped-discover-novel-enzyme-system-2026-09-23/). This text is a summary for reference only.