No abstract

Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, must acclimatize itself to temperature shifts between the temperature (26 C) for flea blockage and the body temperature (37 C) of warm-blooded hosts during its life cycle. Here a whole-genome DNA microarray was used to investigate transcriptional regulation upon the upshift of growth temperature from 26 to 37 C in a chemically defined medium. Four hundred and one genes were regulated differentially under the two temperatures. About 39% of these genes were up-regulated at 37 C, whereas 61% were down-regulated. Temperature-induced changes occurred at the level of transcription of genes encoding proven or predicted virulence factors, regulators, metabolism-associated proteins, prophages, and hypothetical proteins. Strikingly, many gene clusters displayed a co-transcription pattern in response to temperature upshift. Our data provided a genome-wide profile of gene transcription induced by temperature shift and should shed light on the pathogenicity and host-microbe interaction of this deadly pathogen.

No abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is common among patients with AF. Growing evidence suggests that OSA is associated with the initiation and maintenance of AF. This association is independent of obesity, body mass index and hypertension. OSA not only promotes initiation of AF but also has a significant negative impact on the treatment of AF. Patients with untreated OSA have a higher AF recurrence rate with drug therapy, electrical cardioversion and catheter ablation. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been shown to improve AF control in patients with OSA. In this article, we will review and discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA that may predispose OSA patients to AF as well as the standard and emerging therapies for patients with both OSA and AF.