Though some of the more baroque AF models may reflect unrealistic scenarios, the emerging principle that head engagement and joint junction can co-exist but only do so if the intervening coiled coils are distorted is consistent with a similar configuration in low-resolution cryo-EM structures of Smc1/Smc3 heterodimers in the presence of ATP (Petela et al., 2021). The gene discussed is SMC1A; the disease is atrial fibrillation.