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Luminescent spectroscopy of proteins
hr. J. Biochem. Vol. 25, No. 9, pp. 134S1345,
1993
Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS
Diagnosis of Human Vii by Polymerase Chain Reaction Tedmulogy-Edited by Y. BECKER and G. DARAI. 426 pp. 1992. Springer Verlag, Berlin. DM 168.
authority. Most researchers who do analyses will find much of interest in this book.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by amplifying very small amounts of DNA can enable identification of viruses before they are in sufficient concentration to produce identifiable specific antibodies in the serum. PCR allows the identification of a single molecule against a background of 10,000 cells, as in the case of a low frequency (< I : 10,@4lO) of infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. One problem is that the HIV-l virus has enormous genetic diversity and so false-negative PCR results may be due to divergent nucleotide sequences in some isolates. There may also be a problem due to contamination of sample or reagent. This book gives examples how these problems can be overcome allowing PCR diagnosis of virus infection with a high degree of confidence. The book deals with human retroviruses (HIV-l, human T-cell leukemia, Spumaviruses); human Hepatitis viruses; human Herpes viruses, airborne and respiratory viruses (prenatal Rubella, Measles, Influenza, Rhinoviruses, Paravirus B 19, Adenoviruses, Conaviruses); RNA viruses (Enteroviruses, Rotaviruses, Flaviviruses, Hantaviruses, Rabes).
Signal Transduetioa; A PraetieaI ApproaeI+Edited
by G. MILLIGAN.185 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University Press, Oxford. HB $60 PB $38.
A cascade of biochemical stages converts extracellular information into an intracellular message by activation of G-protein. This book provides practical details of how to carry out experiments into; the study of receptor/G-protein interactions; G-protein function; studying functional domaines of Gs alpha subunit; adenylate cyclase and CAMP, inositol lipids and phosphates; phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipases C and D; determination of phospholipase A2 activity in stimulated cells; electrophysiological ap proaches to G-protein function.
AuimaI Cell Culhw, A Practical Approach. 2nd editionEdited by R. I. FRESHNEY.329 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University Press, Oxford. HB $55 PB $35.
Animal cell culturing is expensive and time-consuming. Success can depend on knowledge of tricks of the technique. Luminescent Spectroscopy of Proteius-E. A. PERMYAKOV. Most researchers using cell cultures will find this book 164 pp. CRC Press, Boca Raton U.S.A. E64. contains valuable information that will save them time and money. The advances in techniques and the availability of Most proteins in aqueous solutions possess intrinsic luserum free medium are reflected in this new edition. The minescence (L) in the near U.V. Tryptophan, tyrosine and topics dealt with are; basic principles; serum free chemically phenylalanine are mainly responsible for the L and measuredefined media for mammalian cell culture; scaling up animal ment of L to changes in the solvent enables characterization cell cultures; cell line preservation; separation of viable cells of their environment. This book deals with; energy levels in by centrifugal elutriation; flow cytometry; organ culture; molecules and transition between them; spectrosopic prop cytotoxicity and viability assays; and in situ hybridization. erties of isolated protein chromophores (absorption spectrum, emission spectra, emission lifetime, spectrum shape, fluorescence quantum yield, acid base properties, fluorIn situ Hybrldlaatlon; A Practical Approa&Edited by escence quenching, temperature dependence); protein L D. G. WILKINSON.163 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University (position and shape of spectra, quantum yield, decay, Press, Oxford. HB $58 PB $36. intermediate states, pH dependence, ionic strength, denaturants, quenching, low temperature fluorescence). In situ hybridization is the specific annealing of a labelled nucleic acid probe to complementary sequences in fixed tissue, followed by visualization of the location of the probe. Enzymatic AnaIysis; A Practical Guide. New Edition-J. V. This technique can be used to locate DNA sequences on PASSONNEAU and 0. H. LOWRY. 403 pp. 1993. Humana chromosomes or to detect RNA or viral DNA. The target Press, NJ, U.S.A. $69.50, Elsewhere $79.50. nucleic acid is cross linked and embedded in a complex matrix that hinders access of the probe and decreases the This book is a sequel to “A flexible system of enzymatic stability of the hybrids. In addition, nucleases may be analysis” published in 1972. It has three parts-(l) general present that can degrade the probe. This book describes the principles (pyridine nucleotides, kinetics, constriction pipets, principles and practice of in situ hybridization (H); H of preparation of tissues for analysis), (2) specific methods and cellular RNA with radiolabelled RNA probes; H with procedures (enzymatic cycling, assay methods for 47 metaboligodeoxyribonucleotide probes; H with biotinylated olites, assay methods for 44 enzymes, improvements, trouble probes; whole mount H in Drosophila; whole mount H of shooting and development of new methods), and (3) Quanvertebrate embryos; simultaneous detection of cellular RNA titative hi&chemistry (preparation of tissues and sections, and proteins; H at the EM level; detection of viruses in dissection and histological control, quartz fiber fishpole infected human tissue; H of chromosomes with biotinylated balance, histochemical analyses). The methods have been probes. tried, tested and used by the authors who truly give them 1343
1993
Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS
Diagnosis of Human Vii by Polymerase Chain Reaction Tedmulogy-Edited by Y. BECKER and G. DARAI. 426 pp. 1992. Springer Verlag, Berlin. DM 168.
authority. Most researchers who do analyses will find much of interest in this book.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by amplifying very small amounts of DNA can enable identification of viruses before they are in sufficient concentration to produce identifiable specific antibodies in the serum. PCR allows the identification of a single molecule against a background of 10,000 cells, as in the case of a low frequency (< I : 10,@4lO) of infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. One problem is that the HIV-l virus has enormous genetic diversity and so false-negative PCR results may be due to divergent nucleotide sequences in some isolates. There may also be a problem due to contamination of sample or reagent. This book gives examples how these problems can be overcome allowing PCR diagnosis of virus infection with a high degree of confidence. The book deals with human retroviruses (HIV-l, human T-cell leukemia, Spumaviruses); human Hepatitis viruses; human Herpes viruses, airborne and respiratory viruses (prenatal Rubella, Measles, Influenza, Rhinoviruses, Paravirus B 19, Adenoviruses, Conaviruses); RNA viruses (Enteroviruses, Rotaviruses, Flaviviruses, Hantaviruses, Rabes).
Signal Transduetioa; A PraetieaI ApproaeI+Edited
by G. MILLIGAN.185 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University Press, Oxford. HB $60 PB $38.
A cascade of biochemical stages converts extracellular information into an intracellular message by activation of G-protein. This book provides practical details of how to carry out experiments into; the study of receptor/G-protein interactions; G-protein function; studying functional domaines of Gs alpha subunit; adenylate cyclase and CAMP, inositol lipids and phosphates; phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipases C and D; determination of phospholipase A2 activity in stimulated cells; electrophysiological ap proaches to G-protein function.
AuimaI Cell Culhw, A Practical Approach. 2nd editionEdited by R. I. FRESHNEY.329 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University Press, Oxford. HB $55 PB $35.
Animal cell culturing is expensive and time-consuming. Success can depend on knowledge of tricks of the technique. Luminescent Spectroscopy of Proteius-E. A. PERMYAKOV. Most researchers using cell cultures will find this book 164 pp. CRC Press, Boca Raton U.S.A. E64. contains valuable information that will save them time and money. The advances in techniques and the availability of Most proteins in aqueous solutions possess intrinsic luserum free medium are reflected in this new edition. The minescence (L) in the near U.V. Tryptophan, tyrosine and topics dealt with are; basic principles; serum free chemically phenylalanine are mainly responsible for the L and measuredefined media for mammalian cell culture; scaling up animal ment of L to changes in the solvent enables characterization cell cultures; cell line preservation; separation of viable cells of their environment. This book deals with; energy levels in by centrifugal elutriation; flow cytometry; organ culture; molecules and transition between them; spectrosopic prop cytotoxicity and viability assays; and in situ hybridization. erties of isolated protein chromophores (absorption spectrum, emission spectra, emission lifetime, spectrum shape, fluorescence quantum yield, acid base properties, fluorIn situ Hybrldlaatlon; A Practical Approa&Edited by escence quenching, temperature dependence); protein L D. G. WILKINSON.163 pp. 1992. IRL/Oxford University (position and shape of spectra, quantum yield, decay, Press, Oxford. HB $58 PB $36. intermediate states, pH dependence, ionic strength, denaturants, quenching, low temperature fluorescence). In situ hybridization is the specific annealing of a labelled nucleic acid probe to complementary sequences in fixed tissue, followed by visualization of the location of the probe. Enzymatic AnaIysis; A Practical Guide. New Edition-J. V. This technique can be used to locate DNA sequences on PASSONNEAU and 0. H. LOWRY. 403 pp. 1993. Humana chromosomes or to detect RNA or viral DNA. The target Press, NJ, U.S.A. $69.50, Elsewhere $79.50. nucleic acid is cross linked and embedded in a complex matrix that hinders access of the probe and decreases the This book is a sequel to “A flexible system of enzymatic stability of the hybrids. In addition, nucleases may be analysis” published in 1972. It has three parts-(l) general present that can degrade the probe. This book describes the principles (pyridine nucleotides, kinetics, constriction pipets, principles and practice of in situ hybridization (H); H of preparation of tissues for analysis), (2) specific methods and cellular RNA with radiolabelled RNA probes; H with procedures (enzymatic cycling, assay methods for 47 metaboligodeoxyribonucleotide probes; H with biotinylated olites, assay methods for 44 enzymes, improvements, trouble probes; whole mount H in Drosophila; whole mount H of shooting and development of new methods), and (3) Quanvertebrate embryos; simultaneous detection of cellular RNA titative hi&chemistry (preparation of tissues and sections, and proteins; H at the EM level; detection of viruses in dissection and histological control, quartz fiber fishpole infected human tissue; H of chromosomes with biotinylated balance, histochemical analyses). The methods have been probes. tried, tested and used by the authors who truly give them 1343