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Annual review of biochemistry, vol. 21
496
BOOK
REVIEWS
The book is set in large type, the figures and tables are well reproduced, and the book is printed on extra heavy gloss paper. The whole volume is well bound and should last for many years. LEO K. YANOWSKI, New York, New York Annual Review of Biochemistry, Vol. 21. Edited by J. MURRAY LUCK, Stanford University. Annual Reviews Inc., Stanford, California, 1952. 781 pp. Price $6.60. The arrival of each Annuul Review of Biochemistry is a very welcome event, for the biochemist knows without doubt that here he has a valuable work of reference which, with its comprehensive indexes, will be in constant use throughout the coming year and longer. How much further benefit he may receive, how much widening of horizons and even inspiration, varies with successive volumes. This, the twenty-first year of the series, is a good year. In accordance with tradition, two early chapters are devoted to Proteolytic Enzymes (by A. K. Balls and E. F. Jansen); and Non-Proteolytic, Non-Oxidative Enzymes (by K. I. Altman and A. L. Dounce). Although these chapters do contain valuable commentary, it is inevitable that treatment of such themes should involve much compilation of little-related facts. One wonders whether in such chapters, as well as in some of the chapters concerned with chemical fields, use might not be made of tables, with a saving of space and of readers’ effort. The chapters on chemistry include Carbohydrates (by R. Montgomery and F. Smith); Lipids (by H. J. Deuel, Jr. and R. Alfin-Slater); Steroids, including metabolism (by L. T. Samuels and H. Reich); Amino Acids and Proteins (by H. B. Bull); Nucleic Acids, Purines and Pyrimidines (by D. 0. Jordan); Carotinoids (by G. Mackinney) ; Alkaloids (by L. J. Sargent and L. F. Small) ; Non-Steroid Hormones (by C. H. Li and J. I. Harris). Those on Steroids, Alkaloids, and Nucleic Acids, etc. are outstanding for generous provision of structural formulas; and the last of these three is also distinguished for some good tables compiled from several different sources. There are two contributions each of which constitutes something of a new departure: that by K. Bloch on Interrelationships of Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism; and that by A. D. Welch and C. A. Nicol on Water-Soluble Vitamins concerned with One- and Two-Carbon Intermediaries. At certain stages of knowledge, the effort to link up one field with another can be, as here, very rewarding; and it is highly satisfactory that at any rate some of the water-soluble vitamins can now be classified and considered from the viewpoint of their intimate biochemical function. Other chapters concerned with metabolism are on Fat (by A. C. Fraser) ; Amino Acids and Proteins (by H. Tarver) ; Fat-Soluble Vitamins (by A. R. Kemmerer) ; Nutrition (by E. J. Bigwood); Muscle, with treatment also from the chemical standpoint (by M. Dubuisson); Neoplastic Tissue (by P. C. Zamecnik); Antibiotics (by T. S. Work); Comparative Biochemistry (by M. Florkin); Carbohydrates (by S. Ochoa and J. R. Stern). Those on Amino Acids and Proteins and on Carbohydrates are particularly masterly expositions of rapidly expanding and complex fields. The contributions on Nutrition, Biochemistry of Neoplastic Tissue, Antibiotics, and Comparative Biochemistry are marked by a sense of per-
BOOK
REVIEWS
497
spective which makes them specially readable. The very useful contributions on Biological Oxidations (by B. Chance and L. Smith) and Chromatography (by 6. Moore and W. H. Stein) remain to be mentioned. There is a certain amount of overlapping in treatment of material, and usually this serves no useful purpose; occasionally, however, discussion by different contributors of the same work is complementary rather than repetitive and is to be welcomed. This is a matter for the Editors; and one feels also that the Editors might keep a closer watch on small points of syntax. There are some errors, and this is important since laxness here can lead to uncertainty in meaning as well as to unpleasant sensations in the reader. And surely such expressions as “duofold” and “rather unique’ should not slip by? Biochemists in general, taking for granted the regular appearance of t,hesc reviews, should still pause to realize the great debt which they owe both to the writers and to the Editorial Committee. D. M. NEEDHAM, Cambridge, England Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry, Vol. 7. Edited by C. S. HUDSON, M. L. WOLFROM AND S. M. CANTOR. x + 370 pp. Academic Press Inc. New York, 1952. Price $7.50. The series Advances in Curbohydra~e Chemistry has now established itself as a useful and authoritative collection of various aspects of carbohydrate chemist,ry of interest to both chemists and biochemists. The first article, “The Methyl Ethers of the Aldopentoses and of Rhamnose and Fucose,” by R. A. Laidlaw and (the late) E. G. V. Percival, contains a description of the methods of synthesis and derivations of structure of the methyl ethers of the known aldopentoses. Similar articles are found in Vols. 5 and 6 describing the methyl ethers of n-glucose and n-galactose. Inasmuch as data derived from methylation studies is of prime importance to the solution of carbohydrate structure, compilation of the various methylated reference derivatives is of great assistance to the workers interested in structural carbohydrate chemistry. The second discussion, “1 ,&Anhydrohexofuranoses, a New Class of Hexosans,” was contributed by R. J. Dimler. These hexosans, which are obtained by pyrolytic vacuum distillation of carbohydrates, are noteworthy in two respects: (a) Their 1,2-diol groups appear to be resistant to oxidation cleavage by periodate or lead tetraacetate; (b) they do not show the ease of acid hydrolysis that would be expected in view of their hexofuranoside structure. “Fructose and its Derivatives,” by C. P. Barry and John Honeyman, deals with the chemistry of fructose and that of the various derivatives of this important sugar which occurs abundantly in nature. The ketose sugars, Psicose, Sorbose, and Tagatose, are treated in the same vein, by J. V. Karabinos, as was their isomer fructose in the previous article. In the extensive review of the Hectols and Ketols, S. A. Barker and E. J. Bourne consider the derivatives formed from the tetratols, pentitols, and hexitols, and those of the simpler carbonyl compounds, such as acetone and benzaldehyde. “Glycols,” by B. Helferich, is an interesting discussion of this class of sugar derivatives which are important in carbohydrate chemistry because of their unusual reactivity and their ease of transformation and isomerization. Treatment
BOOK
REVIEWS
The book is set in large type, the figures and tables are well reproduced, and the book is printed on extra heavy gloss paper. The whole volume is well bound and should last for many years. LEO K. YANOWSKI, New York, New York Annual Review of Biochemistry, Vol. 21. Edited by J. MURRAY LUCK, Stanford University. Annual Reviews Inc., Stanford, California, 1952. 781 pp. Price $6.60. The arrival of each Annuul Review of Biochemistry is a very welcome event, for the biochemist knows without doubt that here he has a valuable work of reference which, with its comprehensive indexes, will be in constant use throughout the coming year and longer. How much further benefit he may receive, how much widening of horizons and even inspiration, varies with successive volumes. This, the twenty-first year of the series, is a good year. In accordance with tradition, two early chapters are devoted to Proteolytic Enzymes (by A. K. Balls and E. F. Jansen); and Non-Proteolytic, Non-Oxidative Enzymes (by K. I. Altman and A. L. Dounce). Although these chapters do contain valuable commentary, it is inevitable that treatment of such themes should involve much compilation of little-related facts. One wonders whether in such chapters, as well as in some of the chapters concerned with chemical fields, use might not be made of tables, with a saving of space and of readers’ effort. The chapters on chemistry include Carbohydrates (by R. Montgomery and F. Smith); Lipids (by H. J. Deuel, Jr. and R. Alfin-Slater); Steroids, including metabolism (by L. T. Samuels and H. Reich); Amino Acids and Proteins (by H. B. Bull); Nucleic Acids, Purines and Pyrimidines (by D. 0. Jordan); Carotinoids (by G. Mackinney) ; Alkaloids (by L. J. Sargent and L. F. Small) ; Non-Steroid Hormones (by C. H. Li and J. I. Harris). Those on Steroids, Alkaloids, and Nucleic Acids, etc. are outstanding for generous provision of structural formulas; and the last of these three is also distinguished for some good tables compiled from several different sources. There are two contributions each of which constitutes something of a new departure: that by K. Bloch on Interrelationships of Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism; and that by A. D. Welch and C. A. Nicol on Water-Soluble Vitamins concerned with One- and Two-Carbon Intermediaries. At certain stages of knowledge, the effort to link up one field with another can be, as here, very rewarding; and it is highly satisfactory that at any rate some of the water-soluble vitamins can now be classified and considered from the viewpoint of their intimate biochemical function. Other chapters concerned with metabolism are on Fat (by A. C. Fraser) ; Amino Acids and Proteins (by H. Tarver) ; Fat-Soluble Vitamins (by A. R. Kemmerer) ; Nutrition (by E. J. Bigwood); Muscle, with treatment also from the chemical standpoint (by M. Dubuisson); Neoplastic Tissue (by P. C. Zamecnik); Antibiotics (by T. S. Work); Comparative Biochemistry (by M. Florkin); Carbohydrates (by S. Ochoa and J. R. Stern). Those on Amino Acids and Proteins and on Carbohydrates are particularly masterly expositions of rapidly expanding and complex fields. The contributions on Nutrition, Biochemistry of Neoplastic Tissue, Antibiotics, and Comparative Biochemistry are marked by a sense of per-
BOOK
REVIEWS
497
spective which makes them specially readable. The very useful contributions on Biological Oxidations (by B. Chance and L. Smith) and Chromatography (by 6. Moore and W. H. Stein) remain to be mentioned. There is a certain amount of overlapping in treatment of material, and usually this serves no useful purpose; occasionally, however, discussion by different contributors of the same work is complementary rather than repetitive and is to be welcomed. This is a matter for the Editors; and one feels also that the Editors might keep a closer watch on small points of syntax. There are some errors, and this is important since laxness here can lead to uncertainty in meaning as well as to unpleasant sensations in the reader. And surely such expressions as “duofold” and “rather unique’ should not slip by? Biochemists in general, taking for granted the regular appearance of t,hesc reviews, should still pause to realize the great debt which they owe both to the writers and to the Editorial Committee. D. M. NEEDHAM, Cambridge, England Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry, Vol. 7. Edited by C. S. HUDSON, M. L. WOLFROM AND S. M. CANTOR. x + 370 pp. Academic Press Inc. New York, 1952. Price $7.50. The series Advances in Curbohydra~e Chemistry has now established itself as a useful and authoritative collection of various aspects of carbohydrate chemist,ry of interest to both chemists and biochemists. The first article, “The Methyl Ethers of the Aldopentoses and of Rhamnose and Fucose,” by R. A. Laidlaw and (the late) E. G. V. Percival, contains a description of the methods of synthesis and derivations of structure of the methyl ethers of the known aldopentoses. Similar articles are found in Vols. 5 and 6 describing the methyl ethers of n-glucose and n-galactose. Inasmuch as data derived from methylation studies is of prime importance to the solution of carbohydrate structure, compilation of the various methylated reference derivatives is of great assistance to the workers interested in structural carbohydrate chemistry. The second discussion, “1 ,&Anhydrohexofuranoses, a New Class of Hexosans,” was contributed by R. J. Dimler. These hexosans, which are obtained by pyrolytic vacuum distillation of carbohydrates, are noteworthy in two respects: (a) Their 1,2-diol groups appear to be resistant to oxidation cleavage by periodate or lead tetraacetate; (b) they do not show the ease of acid hydrolysis that would be expected in view of their hexofuranoside structure. “Fructose and its Derivatives,” by C. P. Barry and John Honeyman, deals with the chemistry of fructose and that of the various derivatives of this important sugar which occurs abundantly in nature. The ketose sugars, Psicose, Sorbose, and Tagatose, are treated in the same vein, by J. V. Karabinos, as was their isomer fructose in the previous article. In the extensive review of the Hectols and Ketols, S. A. Barker and E. J. Bourne consider the derivatives formed from the tetratols, pentitols, and hexitols, and those of the simpler carbonyl compounds, such as acetone and benzaldehyde. “Glycols,” by B. Helferich, is an interesting discussion of this class of sugar derivatives which are important in carbohydrate chemistry because of their unusual reactivity and their ease of transformation and isomerization. Treatment