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Volume 540 Issue 7633, 15 December 2016

A seahorse at the Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Seahorses are prime examples of the exuberance of evolution and are unique amongst bony fish on several counts, including their equine body shape and male brood pouch. An international collaboration reporting in this issue of Nature has determined the genome sequence of a seahorse (Hippocampus comes, the tiger tail seahorse). They find it to be the most rapidly evolving fish genome studied so far. H. comes is among the most commonly traded seahorse species � dried for traditional medicines and live for the aquarium trade � and is on the IUCN Red List as a vulnerable� species. Analysis of the genomic sequence provides insights into the evolution of its unique morphology. Of note is the absence of a master control gene, tbx4, which functions in the development of hindlimbs and pelvic fins. Pelvic fins are missing in seahorses, and tbx4-knockout mutant zebrafish also lack pelvic fins. Cover: Jeff Rotman/Getty Images

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  • Design and test new polymers with clinical uses in mind, urge Nicholas A. Peppas and Ali Khademhosseini.

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    • Ali Khademhosseini
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  • Structures of two chemokine receptor proteins in complex with small molecules reveal a previously unknown binding pocket that could be a drug target for treating a range of diseases involving this receptor family. See Letters p.458 & p.462

    • Thomas P. Sakmar
    • Thomas Huber
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  • A method has been devised that allows a ketoreductase enzyme to catalyse reactions other than its natural ones. The key is to excite the enzyme's cofactor using light – an approach that might work for other enzymes. See Letter p.414

    • Uwe T. Bornscheuer
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  • Can simple genetic risk profiles be identified for complex diseases? The development of a gene-expression profile for acute myeloid leukaemia suggests that they can, and that they may improve prognosis prediction. See Letter p.433

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  • High-resolution satellite mapping of Earth's surface water during the past 32 years reveals changes in the planet's water systems, including the influence of natural cycles and human activities. See Letter p.418

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    • Mark A. Trigg
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  • Activation of aged muscle stem cells induces changes in DNA packaging that lead to expression of the gene Hoxa9. This reactivates embryonic signalling pathways, restricting the cells' ability to repair injured muscle. See Letter p.428

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    • Andrew S. Brack
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  • Retinal-cell transplants restore vision in mouse models of retinal degeneration. It emerges that the transplant leads to an exchange of material between donor and host cells — not to donor-cell integration into the retina, as had been presumed.

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  • Here, the genome sequence of the tiger tail seahorse is reported and comparative genomic analyses with other ray-finned fishes are used to explore the genetic basis of the unique morphology and reproductive system of the seahorse.

    • Qiang Lin
    • Shaohua Fan
    • Byrappa Venkatesh
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  • A new method in which strong electric fields are applied to a protein crystal while collecting time-resolved X-ray diffraction patterns is able to follow the mechanical motions of all the constituent atoms, with implications for molecular biology and drug discovery.

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    • K. Ian White
    • Rama Ranganathan
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  • Nervous about your grant application's chance of success? Get help to make every word count.

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