Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania say they have identified new links between the CAP2 gene and heart disease. Their work has spotlighted the role that CAP2 plays in regulating the way the heart contracts in a rhythmic fashion. By knocking out the gene in mice, the researchers say they observed that the rodents typically died quickly of cardiac arrest. "This finding merits further study to see how exactly CAP2 regulates conduction," says Jeffrey Field, a professor of systems pharmacology and translational therapeutics. "While we don't understand how, this gene definitely has a role in controlling conduction." Release