TrueWriterScore Gates (v3.2)

The certification framework applies five pre-registered gates from pen_compare/config/gates_v3.yaml.

Gate 1 - DSB Avoidance (Necessary)

Type: Necessary - failing auto-classifies as NOT_WRITER regardless of other gates
Threshold: S_DSB >= 0.95
Rationale: Editors that make double-strand breaks (SpCas9, Cas12a) are categorically excluded from the Molecular Pen hypothesis

Gate 2 - Programmability (Qualifying)

Type: Qualifying
Threshold: S_Prog >= 0.95
Rationale: RNA-programmable targeting is required; site-specific recombinases (Bxb1, phiC31) with fixed att sites fail this gate

Gate 3 - Native Cargo Capability (Qualifying)

Type: Qualifying
Threshold: S_Cargo >= 0.90 AND intrinsic_cargo_mechanism = True
Rationale: Both a high cargo score AND a mechanistic flag for intrinsic (non-template) cargo delivery are required

Gate 4 - Deliverability (Qualifying)

Type: Qualifying
Threshold: length_aa <= 900 OR split_aav_eligible = True
Rationale: AAV size limit; editors > 900 aa can still qualify if split-AAV packaging has been demonstrated

Gate 5 - Experimental Evidence (Qualifying)

Type: Qualifying
Threshold: >= 2 of {biochemical, structural, computational, cell_based}
Rationale: Minimum multi-source evidence required for qualifying status

Tier Ladder

G1 FAIL  ->  NOT_WRITER (auto-demote, final)

G1 PASS  +  4 qualifying  +  cell_based  ->  TRUE_WRITER
G1 PASS  +  4 qualifying  +  no cell_based  ->  PROBABLE_WRITER
G1 PASS  +  3 qualifying  +  cell_based  ->  PROBABLE_WRITER
G1 PASS  +  1-2 qualifying  ->  EMERGING_WRITER
G1 PASS  +  0 qualifying  ->  NOT_WRITER