Anthropic: Claude discovered a previously unknown enzyme system in phage DNA
KevinKaichuang · x · 2026-09-24
Anthropic announced that Claude discovered a previously unknown enzyme system hidden in bacteriophage DNA. Next to the enzyme's gene sits a long array of repeating DNA—a structure that looks somewhat similar to CRISPR.
Its function is not yet understood, but only a handful of known systems share its features, and all of them can cut, copy, and paste DNA. Historically, discoveries of such programmable systems have revolutionized medicine—CRISPR now underpins genetic medicines. Whether this system can be put to similar use will take much more work.
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