Mentor: Jennifer Schumacher, Ph.D.

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common type of birth defects. They arise from alterations during early cardiac development, often from gene dysregulation. Being able to understand the molecular mechanisms that make up the heart is critical for identifying how genetics play a role in these conditions. In this research, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used as a model organism. Zebrafish are the ideal organism due to their rapid heart formation and similar genetic makeup to that of humans. Wild Type zebrafish were collected and raised to 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post fertilization (hpf). Total RNA was extracted from 96 hpf and reverse transcribed to create complementary DNA (cDNA). RNA probes were then generated and used for in situ hybridization to identify the expression patterns in embryos that were developed to reveal the spatial location of the target gene, myom2a. Results show that myom2a is expressed throughout multiple tissues throughout development, most notably seen in the heart, facial muscles, and pectoral fins. This suggests there is a potential role in heart development and function. Future studies using gene editing approaches, such as CRISPR, will further investigate the function role of myom2a and its potential correlation to human cardiomyopathies and congenital heart defects.

Explore the Project