Researchers discover the role of a gene involved in cardiac rhythm
Researchers have used the zebrafish (
Danio rerio) to identify the role of a gene involved in cardiac rhythm, which could help explain the fundamentals of what it takes to make a human heartbeat.
The University of Melbourne study also found that mutation of the gene, Tmem161b, causes potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia. 2.5 per cent of Australians are living with cardiac arrhythmia (ABS). In 2019, it took 3090 years of potential life. Mutations in this gene may be contributing to the cause of this.
Published in
Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), the research could lead to better understanding and treatment of the condition in humans.