Claude reportedly finds CRISPR-like enzyme system after 21-hour DNA search

Coinphoton_vi reports that Anthropic says roughly 950 Claude agents analyzed more than 200,000 reverse transcriptase enzymes over 21 hours, identifying a system called ART—array-associated reverse transcriptases—in bacteriophage DNA. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. ART includes a repeating DNA sequence resembling a CRISPR array. Early experiments indicated that this sequence produces separate short RNAs, raising the possibility of a programmable mechanism—not establishing one. Anthropic says ART’s exact function, potential biotech applications and significance remain unknown; lab experiments were continuing.