Vinculin is a phylogenetically conserved single-copy protein which, apart from providing unique functions during embryonal development, is essential in adult heart tissue, where it is required for long-term preservation of cardiac function [9], [15], [16], so that mutant forms have been associated in a number of studies with the occurrence of cardiomyopathies in man [34]–[36]. The gene discussed is VCL; the disease is cardiomyopathy.