XIRP2 and cardiomyopathy: Our data further identified the early dysregulation of Xirp2, a cardiomyopathy-associated gene whose protein product localizes to mechanosensing regions of the sarcomere, as well as dysregulation of a transcription factor, Zbtb16. Upregulation of Xirp2 and Zbtb16 is coincident with the dysregulation of several genes in the cMyBP-C-/- mice that are involved in intercalated disc formation and/or mechanosensing.