Finding out how a gene mutation causes dilated cardiomyopathy

Muscle LIM protein, aberrant splicing and heart failure

In this studentship, the researchers will investigate how a mutated gene – the muscle LIM protein gene – causes dilated cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a relatively common inherited heart muscle disease, which can lead to heart failure. Inherited dilated cardiomyopathy is caused by a change or mutation in one or more genes affecting heart muscle proteins. The researchers are particularly interested in finding out whether methylation of the muscle LIM protein gene (where the gene is altered by a chemical mark) affects its function. They think that methylation could affect the way the gene’s message is processed, which could in turn lead to the abnormal LIM protein.