- Email: [email protected]
Enviable birthday present
TIBS - September 1978
214
and make valuable suggestions for further investigation. Additional topics reviewed include lipopolysaccharides, teichoic acids, and the role of surface carbohydrates as antigens and their involvement in adsorption of bacteriophages. In keeping with the attempt to avoid areas which have been extensively reviewed, the chapter dealing with the [ipopolysaccharides emphasizes the nature of those occurring in bacteria outside the family Enterohacteriaceae. In addition to providing information not readily available elsewhere, this volume provides interesting and stimulating reading for those not immediately concerned with the topics covered. To dale, the bulk of information concerning the structure of the bacterial cell wall and its polymers has come from study of the enterobacteria, and hence the student's knowledge is often limited to a consideration of these polymers, particularly the peptidoglycans and lipopolysaccharides. The reviews collected in this volume give an appreciation for the diversity of bacterial surface carbohydrates found in nature, and stimulate thought regarding the function of these polymers. M A T T H E W F. MESCHER
M. F. ,r~h'scht'r i.~ .4.~si.wtmt ProJessor in the Dcpartnwnt of Pathoh~gy ~f Harrard Medical School, Oostoll, MA. U.S.A.
Enviable birthday present Biologically Active Substances Exploration and Exploitation edited hy D. A. Hems. John HTh,y aml Sons, Chichester. New York. Bris'bane atul Toronto. 1977. £13.50 ($26.00) (xxviii -r 309 pages) ISBN 0 471 99489 8
The volume is a collection of the papers presented at a symposium held at the Royal Society, London, in June 1976 to honour the 70th birthday of Sir Ernst Chain. The papers reflect his wide scientific interest and range from chemical to the more biological aspects of biochemistry. Fourteen reviews are included all written by friends and colleagues of Sir Ernst, as well as a few shorter and more personal tributes, for example, from Sir Derek Barton, Sir Hans Krebs and A. Baird Hastings. Naturally penicillin has pride of place and the introductorychapters cover biosynthesis (E. P. Abraham) and biological properties (G. N. Rolinson) the
latter stressing, as do several o f the reviews, Sir Ernst's long association with the Beecham group. There then follow three papers dealing with fungal metabolites, on large-scale production problems (R. Falini), the development of ergoline drugs (F. Arcamore) and the phytotoxin fusicoccin group (G. Mellows), emphasizing a major interest of the Italian period of Sir Ernst's career. Another important study has been the development of the mycoviruses isolated from fungi and these are described by G. T. Banks (general review), K. W. Buck (biochemical and biological implications) and J. M. Dewdney (clinic~il and veterinary applications). Other papers include studies of glucose metabolism (F. Pocchiari and G. D'Agnolo), mechanism of insulin action (A. Beloff-Chain and A. J. Kits van Heijningen), liver metabolism in diabetes (D. A. Hems), metabolic approaches to myocardial infarction (K. R. L. Mansford and D. J. Hearse), metabolism and transmitter function of amino-acids in the nervous system (H. F. Bradford) and a review of the hypothalamic hormones (J. A. Edwardson and G. W. Bennett). What comes out of the volume time and time again is the affection which so many colleagues have for Sir Ernst and the infectious enthusiasm which he applied to all the numerous and varied aspects of biochemistry which he undertook. The volume is an enviable birthday present. A. W. J O H N S O N
,4. IV. Johnson F.R.S. is Professor of Chemistry hl the School of Moh.calar Sciences at the Universio' of Sussex. Br(~hton. U.K.
A virus of interest Measles Virus and its Biology by K. B. Fraser aml S. J. Martin, Academh" Press. London, New Yark and San Francisca. 1977. £9.80 ($19.25) (ix ! 249 pages) ISBN 0 12 265350 5
Measles virus is the cause of a disease long considered a normal episode of childhood. Following the isolation of the virus by John F. Enders and colleagues in the 1950"s, vaccines were developed and, with the advent of a successful vaccination programme, the incidence of the clinical illness has been greatly reduced. However, interest in measles virus was stimulated when it was shown t o h a v e an etiologic role in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, (SSPE), a slowly progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system that occurs
years after the acute viral infection. A tentative, but interesting, link of measles virus with such chronic disorders as multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosis has provided further interest in attempting to define thedetails of its structure, biochemistry, and biology. The goal of this book, the first in a new series on experimental virology, is to review features of measles virus as a disease producing agent, and relate these to biological properties ofthe virus. Although the rapid progress that occurs in any intensively studied field makes this a difficult goal, the authors have generally succeeded in making this monograph current. The book is divided into 13 chapters. The first six are devoted to a description of biological and biochemical features of measles virus and its growth in cells. There are single chapters on viral pers!stence, neurovirulence, and on SSPE viruses. The last four chapters deal with various aspects of the immunology of measles virus. The major weakness of this book is the progress made since its publication. Although notes added in proof have~ attempted to correct this deficit, certain significant items are seriously out of date. Several laboratories now agree that the two surface antigens (hemagglutinin and hemolysin) correspond to the 79,000 mol.wt, polypeptide and the 40,000 mol.wt. polypeptide respectively. The 40,000 mol.wt. polypeptide is most likely linked to a smaller carbohydrate-rich protein via disulfide bonds. There is, therefore, a serious discrepency between the findings reported in the monograph and the currently accepted notions of virus structure. Furthermore, recent studies of the polypeptides and RNA of measles and SSPE virions have provided further support for a specific defect in the matrix protein of SSPE. However, these and other minor items do not detract from a generally interesting and well-informed discussion. The chapters on persistence, neuropathogenicity and immunology are clearly presented and nicely define the status of current problems. This book can be recommended both to virologists and clinicians interested in understanding why a virus with a (hopefully) limited future, has captured the interest of a n increasing num ber of research workers. B E R N A R D N. FIELDS
B. N. Fiehts is Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Chief of the hrfectious Disease Division, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, MA, U.S.A.
214
and make valuable suggestions for further investigation. Additional topics reviewed include lipopolysaccharides, teichoic acids, and the role of surface carbohydrates as antigens and their involvement in adsorption of bacteriophages. In keeping with the attempt to avoid areas which have been extensively reviewed, the chapter dealing with the [ipopolysaccharides emphasizes the nature of those occurring in bacteria outside the family Enterohacteriaceae. In addition to providing information not readily available elsewhere, this volume provides interesting and stimulating reading for those not immediately concerned with the topics covered. To dale, the bulk of information concerning the structure of the bacterial cell wall and its polymers has come from study of the enterobacteria, and hence the student's knowledge is often limited to a consideration of these polymers, particularly the peptidoglycans and lipopolysaccharides. The reviews collected in this volume give an appreciation for the diversity of bacterial surface carbohydrates found in nature, and stimulate thought regarding the function of these polymers. M A T T H E W F. MESCHER
M. F. ,r~h'scht'r i.~ .4.~si.wtmt ProJessor in the Dcpartnwnt of Pathoh~gy ~f Harrard Medical School, Oostoll, MA. U.S.A.
Enviable birthday present Biologically Active Substances Exploration and Exploitation edited hy D. A. Hems. John HTh,y aml Sons, Chichester. New York. Bris'bane atul Toronto. 1977. £13.50 ($26.00) (xxviii -r 309 pages) ISBN 0 471 99489 8
The volume is a collection of the papers presented at a symposium held at the Royal Society, London, in June 1976 to honour the 70th birthday of Sir Ernst Chain. The papers reflect his wide scientific interest and range from chemical to the more biological aspects of biochemistry. Fourteen reviews are included all written by friends and colleagues of Sir Ernst, as well as a few shorter and more personal tributes, for example, from Sir Derek Barton, Sir Hans Krebs and A. Baird Hastings. Naturally penicillin has pride of place and the introductorychapters cover biosynthesis (E. P. Abraham) and biological properties (G. N. Rolinson) the
latter stressing, as do several o f the reviews, Sir Ernst's long association with the Beecham group. There then follow three papers dealing with fungal metabolites, on large-scale production problems (R. Falini), the development of ergoline drugs (F. Arcamore) and the phytotoxin fusicoccin group (G. Mellows), emphasizing a major interest of the Italian period of Sir Ernst's career. Another important study has been the development of the mycoviruses isolated from fungi and these are described by G. T. Banks (general review), K. W. Buck (biochemical and biological implications) and J. M. Dewdney (clinic~il and veterinary applications). Other papers include studies of glucose metabolism (F. Pocchiari and G. D'Agnolo), mechanism of insulin action (A. Beloff-Chain and A. J. Kits van Heijningen), liver metabolism in diabetes (D. A. Hems), metabolic approaches to myocardial infarction (K. R. L. Mansford and D. J. Hearse), metabolism and transmitter function of amino-acids in the nervous system (H. F. Bradford) and a review of the hypothalamic hormones (J. A. Edwardson and G. W. Bennett). What comes out of the volume time and time again is the affection which so many colleagues have for Sir Ernst and the infectious enthusiasm which he applied to all the numerous and varied aspects of biochemistry which he undertook. The volume is an enviable birthday present. A. W. J O H N S O N
,4. IV. Johnson F.R.S. is Professor of Chemistry hl the School of Moh.calar Sciences at the Universio' of Sussex. Br(~hton. U.K.
A virus of interest Measles Virus and its Biology by K. B. Fraser aml S. J. Martin, Academh" Press. London, New Yark and San Francisca. 1977. £9.80 ($19.25) (ix ! 249 pages) ISBN 0 12 265350 5
Measles virus is the cause of a disease long considered a normal episode of childhood. Following the isolation of the virus by John F. Enders and colleagues in the 1950"s, vaccines were developed and, with the advent of a successful vaccination programme, the incidence of the clinical illness has been greatly reduced. However, interest in measles virus was stimulated when it was shown t o h a v e an etiologic role in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, (SSPE), a slowly progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system that occurs
years after the acute viral infection. A tentative, but interesting, link of measles virus with such chronic disorders as multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosis has provided further interest in attempting to define thedetails of its structure, biochemistry, and biology. The goal of this book, the first in a new series on experimental virology, is to review features of measles virus as a disease producing agent, and relate these to biological properties ofthe virus. Although the rapid progress that occurs in any intensively studied field makes this a difficult goal, the authors have generally succeeded in making this monograph current. The book is divided into 13 chapters. The first six are devoted to a description of biological and biochemical features of measles virus and its growth in cells. There are single chapters on viral pers!stence, neurovirulence, and on SSPE viruses. The last four chapters deal with various aspects of the immunology of measles virus. The major weakness of this book is the progress made since its publication. Although notes added in proof have~ attempted to correct this deficit, certain significant items are seriously out of date. Several laboratories now agree that the two surface antigens (hemagglutinin and hemolysin) correspond to the 79,000 mol.wt, polypeptide and the 40,000 mol.wt. polypeptide respectively. The 40,000 mol.wt. polypeptide is most likely linked to a smaller carbohydrate-rich protein via disulfide bonds. There is, therefore, a serious discrepency between the findings reported in the monograph and the currently accepted notions of virus structure. Furthermore, recent studies of the polypeptides and RNA of measles and SSPE virions have provided further support for a specific defect in the matrix protein of SSPE. However, these and other minor items do not detract from a generally interesting and well-informed discussion. The chapters on persistence, neuropathogenicity and immunology are clearly presented and nicely define the status of current problems. This book can be recommended both to virologists and clinicians interested in understanding why a virus with a (hopefully) limited future, has captured the interest of a n increasing num ber of research workers. B E R N A R D N. FIELDS
B. N. Fiehts is Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and Chief of the hrfectious Disease Division, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, MA, U.S.A.