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DNA—Ligand interactions: From drugs to proteins
705
Book reviews DNA-Ligand Interactions: From Drugs to Proteins, edited by W. Guschlbauer and W. Saenger. NATO ASI Series A: Life Sciences Vol 137, Plenum Publ. Corp., New York, 1987, pp. 290, US$ 55.00 In August 1986, Willy Guschlbauer and Wolfram Saenger organized a meeting in Fontevraud which was quite a success. Among the major reasons for this success, one can note the very good choice of speakers as well as the actuality and the vigorous interest in the field of D N A - p r o t e i n interactions. The corresponding volume of the NATO ASI Series conveys the same positive feeling. A few systems, for which timely reviews could be presented, were selected: DNA structure, its role in gene regulation, D N A hydration, D r u g - D N A complexes; Repressor-operator interactions; Methylase and restriction nucleases; An outlook on D N A - a n t i b o d y interactions. Perhaps the reader will like to start with the excellent summary given by. W. Saenger at the end of the volume. The present state of the research as well as the most obvious gaps in our knowledge are pointed out. On the three dimensional structure of oligonucleotides, it is then a pleasure to compare the views of Olga Kennard and Richard Dickerson, and to follow the strategy for structure determination, using the various parameters extracted from 2-D NMR relaxation techniques (D. Kearns). The recent determinations of the crystal structure of short (dA)(dT)oligomers (Nelson et al. Rich et al.) show, hr~v~v~r
hnut
urt~vnprt~d
faatnra~
(in
thi.~ e a x e
bifurcated hydrogen bonds) could make the life of an NMR spectroscopist less easy. The generation of D N A polymorphism when covalently closed circular D N A is under torsional stress is a subject o f considerable interest. It was reviewed by R. Wells who described a new conformation for oligopurine oligopyrimidine sequences. This work, as well as the report by Waring on the interactions between an antibiotic and a D N A segment, illustrates not only the use of nucleolytic reagents, but also their limitations. (Does one probe the conformation of minimal energy or a particular deformed state, easily accessible to the chemical or to the nucleolytic reagent in fast equilibrium with the more stable species?) These problems will certainly require a more careful kinetic analysis in the future. In this regard, the excellent review by D. Porschke on the specificity and dynamics of protein-nucleic acid interactions indicates which way to go. Even if the method'~logy is still subject to some criticisms, the papers by J. B o Le Pecq and C. H61~ne illustrate the potential development of these api:roaches. The second and third sections are also a pleasme to read. First, recent progress in structure determinations underlines the subtle and sometimes unexpect-
ed changes in D N A structure which occur when a specific protein is bound. Second, the lac operator repressor system provides two striking examples of the ingenuity and of the talent of geneticists and spectroscopists when X-ray crystallography fails to provide a three dimensional picture of a complex. These two sections also give other good examples of the complementarity of different approaches (on mismatches or on restriction systems for example). In short, an excellent book for the present, which will ,etain its usefulness for some time to come, providing a still frame of the present state of the art in an exciting and rapidly developing field of science. H. Buc
Studies of Brain Func~on: Cerebellum and Rhythmical Movements, by Yu. I. Arshavsky, I. M. Gelfand and G. N. Orlovsky. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1986, pp. 166, DM 158 On receiving the book Cerebellum and Rythmical Movements written by three well-known Russian neurobiologists, my first reaction was to put it aside. In present times, classical investigations on integrated mechanisms are not in favor: neurobiologists prefer to follow the fashion. That is, to work without specific goals on the identification of God knows which channel rather than try to put together in a rational scheme, solid and sometimes scattered, but less flashy data. in order to understand neuronal organization and the physical basis of behavior. I was wrong: despite some limitations which will be mentioned below, this group of authors gives us a fresh and fruitful lesson which deserves attention from most of us. It has been known, since the turn of the century (Graham Brown, 1911), that stepping movements (i.e., alternating movements of paired limbs with about equal duration for extension and flexion phases) can be evoked in low spir.al animals. Similarly, rhythmical scratching can be elicited by irritating the skin in the same preparation due to the involvement of a spinal reflex described by Sherrington (1947). These early observations have facilitated more advanced investigations on the neural mechanisms of locomotion which culminated by the discovery of mid-brain locomotion centers by Grillner and his colleagues and they provide an invaluable model for studies of recurring cycles in the CNS. The authors of this book review data pertinent to this problem, in a comprehensive manner and, furthermore, address the general question of the control of such movements by the cerebellum. In this respect, they fill a
Book reviews DNA-Ligand Interactions: From Drugs to Proteins, edited by W. Guschlbauer and W. Saenger. NATO ASI Series A: Life Sciences Vol 137, Plenum Publ. Corp., New York, 1987, pp. 290, US$ 55.00 In August 1986, Willy Guschlbauer and Wolfram Saenger organized a meeting in Fontevraud which was quite a success. Among the major reasons for this success, one can note the very good choice of speakers as well as the actuality and the vigorous interest in the field of D N A - p r o t e i n interactions. The corresponding volume of the NATO ASI Series conveys the same positive feeling. A few systems, for which timely reviews could be presented, were selected: DNA structure, its role in gene regulation, D N A hydration, D r u g - D N A complexes; Repressor-operator interactions; Methylase and restriction nucleases; An outlook on D N A - a n t i b o d y interactions. Perhaps the reader will like to start with the excellent summary given by. W. Saenger at the end of the volume. The present state of the research as well as the most obvious gaps in our knowledge are pointed out. On the three dimensional structure of oligonucleotides, it is then a pleasure to compare the views of Olga Kennard and Richard Dickerson, and to follow the strategy for structure determination, using the various parameters extracted from 2-D NMR relaxation techniques (D. Kearns). The recent determinations of the crystal structure of short (dA)(dT)oligomers (Nelson et al. Rich et al.) show, hr~v~v~r
hnut
urt~vnprt~d
faatnra~
(in
thi.~ e a x e
bifurcated hydrogen bonds) could make the life of an NMR spectroscopist less easy. The generation of D N A polymorphism when covalently closed circular D N A is under torsional stress is a subject o f considerable interest. It was reviewed by R. Wells who described a new conformation for oligopurine oligopyrimidine sequences. This work, as well as the report by Waring on the interactions between an antibiotic and a D N A segment, illustrates not only the use of nucleolytic reagents, but also their limitations. (Does one probe the conformation of minimal energy or a particular deformed state, easily accessible to the chemical or to the nucleolytic reagent in fast equilibrium with the more stable species?) These problems will certainly require a more careful kinetic analysis in the future. In this regard, the excellent review by D. Porschke on the specificity and dynamics of protein-nucleic acid interactions indicates which way to go. Even if the method'~logy is still subject to some criticisms, the papers by J. B o Le Pecq and C. H61~ne illustrate the potential development of these api:roaches. The second and third sections are also a pleasme to read. First, recent progress in structure determinations underlines the subtle and sometimes unexpect-
ed changes in D N A structure which occur when a specific protein is bound. Second, the lac operator repressor system provides two striking examples of the ingenuity and of the talent of geneticists and spectroscopists when X-ray crystallography fails to provide a three dimensional picture of a complex. These two sections also give other good examples of the complementarity of different approaches (on mismatches or on restriction systems for example). In short, an excellent book for the present, which will ,etain its usefulness for some time to come, providing a still frame of the present state of the art in an exciting and rapidly developing field of science. H. Buc
Studies of Brain Func~on: Cerebellum and Rhythmical Movements, by Yu. I. Arshavsky, I. M. Gelfand and G. N. Orlovsky. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1986, pp. 166, DM 158 On receiving the book Cerebellum and Rythmical Movements written by three well-known Russian neurobiologists, my first reaction was to put it aside. In present times, classical investigations on integrated mechanisms are not in favor: neurobiologists prefer to follow the fashion. That is, to work without specific goals on the identification of God knows which channel rather than try to put together in a rational scheme, solid and sometimes scattered, but less flashy data. in order to understand neuronal organization and the physical basis of behavior. I was wrong: despite some limitations which will be mentioned below, this group of authors gives us a fresh and fruitful lesson which deserves attention from most of us. It has been known, since the turn of the century (Graham Brown, 1911), that stepping movements (i.e., alternating movements of paired limbs with about equal duration for extension and flexion phases) can be evoked in low spir.al animals. Similarly, rhythmical scratching can be elicited by irritating the skin in the same preparation due to the involvement of a spinal reflex described by Sherrington (1947). These early observations have facilitated more advanced investigations on the neural mechanisms of locomotion which culminated by the discovery of mid-brain locomotion centers by Grillner and his colleagues and they provide an invaluable model for studies of recurring cycles in the CNS. The authors of this book review data pertinent to this problem, in a comprehensive manner and, furthermore, address the general question of the control of such movements by the cerebellum. In this respect, they fill a