Doctoral Degrees (Molecular Biology and Human Genetics)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Molecular Biology and Human Genetics) by browse.metadata.advisor "Christiansen, Michael"

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    Molecular and functional characterisation of Long QT Syndrome causing genes
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04) Hedley, Paula Louise; Corfield, Valerie A.; Moolman-Smook, Johanna C.; Christiansen, Michael; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Biomedical Sciences. Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ventricular arrhythmias are the most important cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) among adults living in industrialised nations. Genetic factors have substantial effects in determining population-based risk for SCD and may also account for inter-individual variability in susceptibility. Great progress has been made in identifying genes underlying various Mendelian disorders associated with inherited arrhythmia susceptibility. The most well studied familial arrhythmia syndrome is the congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) caused by mutations in genes encoding subunits of myocardial ion channels. Not all mutation carriers have equal risk for experiencing the clinical manifestations of disease (i.e. syncope, sudden death). This observation has raised the possibility that additional genetic factors may modify the risk of LQTS manifestations. This study establishes the genetic aetiology of LQTS in South Africa and Denmark through the identification and characterisation of LQTS-causative mutations in five previously identified genes, as well as examining possible novel genetic causes of LQTS in a cohort comprising Danish and British probands. We have functionally characterised several of the mutations identified in this study and examined other cardiac phenotypes that may be explained by variants causing repolarisation disorders.