The Popeye domain containing gene family encodes a novel class of cAMP effector proteins
in striated muscle tissue. In this short review, we first introduce the protein family and
discuss their structure and function with an emphasis on their role in cyclic AMP signalling.
Another focus of this review is the recently discovered role of POPDC genes as striated
muscle disease genes, which have been associated with cardiac arrhythmia and muscular
dystrophy. The pathological phenotypes observed in patients will be compared with
phenotypes present in null and knockin mutations in zebrafish and mouse. A number of
protein-protein interaction partners have been discovered and the potential role of POPDC
proteins to control the subcellular localization and function of these interacting proteins will
be discussed. Finally, we outline several areas, where research is urgently needed.