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Bioenergetics. New Comprehensive Biochemistry, Vol. 9.
117
theme is devoted to the study of the experimental conditions, expecially those referring to the nature of the working electrode, required to record an oxidation or a reduction current signal due to the bio-analyte to be determined; in some cases, all this reduces to the use of a voltammetric cell as the detector in phase distribution analysis. The chapter on in vivo determinations is probably the most interesting; the important question of biocompatibility also arises in this respect; this area is also relevant to both biosensors and bioprobes for use in vivo or in biological fluids. The value of in vivo results depends on the answer to two important questions: To what extent is the living organism affected by the measuring procedure (this problem assumes particular importance in the case of voltammetric sensors)? How accurately can the calibration be done (the lack of reference materials and processes)? L. CAMPANELLA Rome
Bioenergetics. New Comprehensive Biochemistry, Vol. 9. L. Emster (Editor). Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984, ISBN o-444-80579-6, xx + 390 pp., Dfl.206.00. This book is a volume of the series “New Comprehensive Biochemistry” edited by A. Neuberger and L.L.M. Van Deenen. It is indeed a comprehensive outline of the major aspects of bioenergetics, divided into 12 chapters, each written by different experts. The area covered is limited to membrane bioenergetics, and in particular to the mechanisms of energy conservation in mitochondria, chloroplasts and bacteria. Thus, the utilization of energy for work is not a topic of this book, except in cases where energy-driven processes are operated within the energy-conserving membranes (cf. e.g. Chapter 8 on metabolite transport in mammalian mitochondria). Within this intentional framework, however, the book is articulated into all the main aspects of bioenergetics. The first chapter deals with the non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach to the problem of energy conservation, while the second one introduces the fundamentals of the chemio-osmotic hypothesis. The three following chapters deal with the basic aspects of the electron-transfer chains in mitochondria and in photosynthetic organisms and of the proton-motive ATPases. A series of chapters then deals with the so-called energy-linked reactions such as NADH-NADP transhydrogenase, metabolite transport and calcium uptake in mitochondria, the less known synthesis and utilization of pyrophosphate in energy-conserving membranes, and finally thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue mitochondria. A further chapter is devoted to bacteriorhodopsin, and this seems most appropriate in view of understanding the mechanisms of energy conservation linked to proton pumping. The final chapter concerns the biogenesis of semiautonomous organelles. The book appears well balanced and conveys to the reader a complete view of modem bioenergetics, providing an excellent source of information and experimen-
118
tal approaches. Some chapters may moderately reflect the personal opinions of the authors, but this may often be a merit and represent a stimulus to the reader. The book, however, is not only useful for those who are already doing research in the field of bioenergetics, although non-experts might find some chapters difficult to absorb. There appear to be no major faults or gaps, though the emphasis, as often in bioenergetics, is on the mitochondrial system in comparison with bacterial or chloroplast membranes. In summary, an excellent book. G. LENAZ Bologna
Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, New Series. Vol. 18. Higher Plant Cell Respiration. R. Deuce and D.A. Day (Editors). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo, 1985, ISBN 3-540-13935-4, xvi + 522 pp., DM298.00. This volume, the 18th of the Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, is a remarkable assembly of up-to-date and well-documented reviews dealing with the chemistry, biochemistry, bioenergetics and physiology of cell respiration in higher plants. The editors certainly deserve high praise, since they have succeeded in establishing a unifying style to the book, which is therefore well balanced and exhaustive in all the chapters. Quite interestingly, the reviews deal with the molecular organization and expression of the mitochondrial genome and with the function of the inner membrane of mitochondria. Indeed, as clearly stated in H. Beevers’ preface of the volume, the authors of the various chapters are among those who have contributed most significantly to the development of plant biochemistry and physiology and so provide a coherent and interesting picture of the progress on this important subject. The high quality production together with the excellent bibliography and proofreading fully justify the price of the book. A personal copy may therefore prove well worthwhile. D. ZANNONI Bologna
Mechanisms of Protein Synthesis. Structure-Function Relations, Control Mechanisms and Evolutionary Aspects. Proceedings in Life Sciences. E. Bermek (Editor). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo, 1985, ISBN 3-540-13653-3, ix + 220 pp., DM68.00. This volume contains the papers presented at an International Symposium on “Molecular Mechnanisms in Protein Synthesis”. The emphasis in the presentations
theme is devoted to the study of the experimental conditions, expecially those referring to the nature of the working electrode, required to record an oxidation or a reduction current signal due to the bio-analyte to be determined; in some cases, all this reduces to the use of a voltammetric cell as the detector in phase distribution analysis. The chapter on in vivo determinations is probably the most interesting; the important question of biocompatibility also arises in this respect; this area is also relevant to both biosensors and bioprobes for use in vivo or in biological fluids. The value of in vivo results depends on the answer to two important questions: To what extent is the living organism affected by the measuring procedure (this problem assumes particular importance in the case of voltammetric sensors)? How accurately can the calibration be done (the lack of reference materials and processes)? L. CAMPANELLA Rome
Bioenergetics. New Comprehensive Biochemistry, Vol. 9. L. Emster (Editor). Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984, ISBN o-444-80579-6, xx + 390 pp., Dfl.206.00. This book is a volume of the series “New Comprehensive Biochemistry” edited by A. Neuberger and L.L.M. Van Deenen. It is indeed a comprehensive outline of the major aspects of bioenergetics, divided into 12 chapters, each written by different experts. The area covered is limited to membrane bioenergetics, and in particular to the mechanisms of energy conservation in mitochondria, chloroplasts and bacteria. Thus, the utilization of energy for work is not a topic of this book, except in cases where energy-driven processes are operated within the energy-conserving membranes (cf. e.g. Chapter 8 on metabolite transport in mammalian mitochondria). Within this intentional framework, however, the book is articulated into all the main aspects of bioenergetics. The first chapter deals with the non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach to the problem of energy conservation, while the second one introduces the fundamentals of the chemio-osmotic hypothesis. The three following chapters deal with the basic aspects of the electron-transfer chains in mitochondria and in photosynthetic organisms and of the proton-motive ATPases. A series of chapters then deals with the so-called energy-linked reactions such as NADH-NADP transhydrogenase, metabolite transport and calcium uptake in mitochondria, the less known synthesis and utilization of pyrophosphate in energy-conserving membranes, and finally thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue mitochondria. A further chapter is devoted to bacteriorhodopsin, and this seems most appropriate in view of understanding the mechanisms of energy conservation linked to proton pumping. The final chapter concerns the biogenesis of semiautonomous organelles. The book appears well balanced and conveys to the reader a complete view of modem bioenergetics, providing an excellent source of information and experimen-
118
tal approaches. Some chapters may moderately reflect the personal opinions of the authors, but this may often be a merit and represent a stimulus to the reader. The book, however, is not only useful for those who are already doing research in the field of bioenergetics, although non-experts might find some chapters difficult to absorb. There appear to be no major faults or gaps, though the emphasis, as often in bioenergetics, is on the mitochondrial system in comparison with bacterial or chloroplast membranes. In summary, an excellent book. G. LENAZ Bologna
Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, New Series. Vol. 18. Higher Plant Cell Respiration. R. Deuce and D.A. Day (Editors). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo, 1985, ISBN 3-540-13935-4, xvi + 522 pp., DM298.00. This volume, the 18th of the Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, is a remarkable assembly of up-to-date and well-documented reviews dealing with the chemistry, biochemistry, bioenergetics and physiology of cell respiration in higher plants. The editors certainly deserve high praise, since they have succeeded in establishing a unifying style to the book, which is therefore well balanced and exhaustive in all the chapters. Quite interestingly, the reviews deal with the molecular organization and expression of the mitochondrial genome and with the function of the inner membrane of mitochondria. Indeed, as clearly stated in H. Beevers’ preface of the volume, the authors of the various chapters are among those who have contributed most significantly to the development of plant biochemistry and physiology and so provide a coherent and interesting picture of the progress on this important subject. The high quality production together with the excellent bibliography and proofreading fully justify the price of the book. A personal copy may therefore prove well worthwhile. D. ZANNONI Bologna
Mechanisms of Protein Synthesis. Structure-Function Relations, Control Mechanisms and Evolutionary Aspects. Proceedings in Life Sciences. E. Bermek (Editor). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Tokyo, 1985, ISBN 3-540-13653-3, ix + 220 pp., DM68.00. This volume contains the papers presented at an International Symposium on “Molecular Mechnanisms in Protein Synthesis”. The emphasis in the presentations