Claude designs protein binders for scorpion neurotoxins in lab tests
Original title: Claude Science tackles deadly scorpion stings by designing protein binders from scratch
Of 211 designs tested, 17 bound their targets; the strongest pair targeted Cn2, but antivenom effect is still untested.
Anthropic says Claude, working in Claude Science, generated 318,484 protein-binder designs against five toxins from four scorpion species after an initial prompt and 24 hours of autonomous work, then further steering. Claude selected 180 candidates and the team added 31. Two independent labs confirmed results. External experts called it a promising first step. Lab tests suggest the strongest binders dock at or near a site used by an antibody that neutralizes Cn2 in mice.
Unconfirmed: Whether the binders work as an antivenom has not been tested.
- Scorpion neurotoxins kill more than 3,250 people every year, the article says.
- The two strongest binders bound very tightly to Cn2 from a Mexican scorpion.
- An earlier Claude study hit 14 of 15 proteins at 22 to 35 percent versus a typical 10 to 15 percent.
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From the original article
1 min read at the-decoder.com
Anthropic's Claude independently designed protein binders targeting deadly scorpion neurotoxins. Out of more than 318,000 designs, 211 were tested in the lab. Seventeen met the criteria, and the two strongest bind extremely tightly to Cn2, a toxin from a Mexican scorpion.
By Manuel Uth · the-decoder.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.