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Anthropic: Claude helps map the first 3D vault-particle structure in bacterial life/phages

Anthropic’s biology lab published (11/04) the first 3D structure of a vault particle found in prokaryotic cells — assembled from bacteriophage protein L05: 96 copies, about 9.5 MDa, ~54×45 nm, with about 25% more volume than mammalian vaults. Optimized purification took about 90 minutes (vs ~3 days conventionally); the first structural model came in ~34 hours via cryo-EM. Claude helped with database search, DNA constructs, isolation and microscopy processing. Vaults’ biological function remains unknown; a preprint was submitted to bioRxiv (link to update when live).