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News in brief: Fins to limbs with flip of genetic switch

Boost of gene activity may help explain how arms and legs evolved

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

Evolving limbs from fins may be as easy as taking the activity of a few genes and kicking it up a notch, a new study suggests.

LOOK MA, HANDS Throwing a simple genetic switch was enough to turn one of this zebra fish embryo’s fins into a primitive limb with a bulge where a future hand or foot might have grown.