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Eukaryotic Transcription
94
E d i t e d by M J G e t h i n g . p p 215. C o l d S p r i n g H a r b o r L a b o r a t o r y , N Y . 1985. $30 ISBN 0-87969-183-2
interested in large-scale processes involving biologically-active materials, with more emphasis on the engineering than the biology. M F Chaplin
Eukaryotic Transcription
Trauma and its Metabolic Problems
Protein Transport and Secretion
E d i t e d by Y G l u z m a n . p p 200. $30
ISBN 0-87969-186-7
A meeting on Protein Transport and Secretion was held in Banbury (USA), attended by 50 of the leading workers in this exciting field. This paperback collects together 1000-2000-word abstracts of what was presented, and the areas cover bacterial, yeast and mammalian systems. The two main divisions of the Conference were into (1) analysis of cellular structures and processes involved in the biosynthesis, maturation and directional transport of membrane and secretory proteins, and (2) molecular analysis of particular regions or domains of proteins that are required for their transport through the cell. In addition -- and one of the most valuable features of the book - - the Editor has contributed a 15-page survey of this area. The collection would be useful to staff and students wishing to get in touch with this area, and the book is certainly topical and up to date. In a way each of the 'abstracts' is rather like, say, a TIBS article, having perhaps 1-2 diagrams and up to 12 references. Workers actually in the field might be tantalized by the brevity of the reports and the paucity of experimental data included. However they may find the collection useful, if ephemeral, in keeping them in touch with what is happening in parallel fields. Abbreviations have mercifully been kept to an absolute minimum, and although there is no Index, the titles of the abstracts, forming the Contents, are reasonably revealing. Eukaryotic Transcription has an identical format to Protein Transport and Secretion and entirely the same comments and criticisms apply. The conference itself took place in March 1985, and the 18-page review/introduction is written by W Schaffner. In addition there are about 30 short papers. For both collections it is stated, rightly, that " . . . individual summaries contained herein should not be treated as publications or listed in bibliographies. Information contained herein can be cited as personal communication contingent upon obtaining the consent of the author." B J Doverly
Biotechnology Volume 2: Fundamentals of Biochemical Engineering E d i t e d by H B r a u e r . pp. 819. V C H V e r l a g s g e s e l l s c h a f t m b H , W e i n h e i m , W. G e r m a n y . 1985. S u b s c r i p t i o n price £114 ISBN 3-527-25764-0 This volume covers the biochemical engineering aspects of biotechnology. It does so in a straightforward and interesting manner, the text being well broken up by many figures and tables. In outline it consists of 30 chapters grouped into three main sections concerning transport phenomena, microbial reaction engineering and bioreactors, and two smaller sections on selected unit operations (media preparation, sterilization and product recovery) and measurement and control. The chapters are written by a number of different authors but the style is uniform throughout, each chapter starting with a defined list of symbols and finishing with the relevant and often recent references. It is impossible to judge the whole of this detailed and comprehensive text fairly but, from the chapters I have examined, it would seem to be a worthy advanced addition to any biotechnological library. It is particularly relevant to chemical engineers, microbiologists and biochemists who are
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 14(2) 1986
Scientific E d i t o r , R N B a r t o n . p p 105. British M e d i c a l Bulletin Vol 41 N o 3, Churchill L i v i n g s t o n e , E d i n b u r g h . 1985. £16 ISBN 0-443-03250-5 This volume analyses the body's response to trauma. The primary reaction is that of the neuroendocrinological system from which many disturbances of fluid and electrolytic balance and of metabolic pathways follow. Members of the MRC Trauma Unit at Manchester have contributed to five of the papers in this monograph, which review the gross changes following on trauma. Later chapters discuss metabolism in more detail as well as the effects on a variety of systems including the liver, haemostasis and the complement system. It therefore achieves a very wide coverage of the complex events initiated by surgical and other forms of trauma and provides a valuable summary of the subject. John Kenny
Advances in Enzyme Regulation Volume 23 E d i t e d by G W e b e r . p p 463. P e r g a m o n Press, O x f o r d . 1985. £99 ISBN 0-08-032727-3 This volume documents the proceedings of the 23rd Symposium on Regulation of Enzyme Activity and Synthesis in Normal and Neoplastic Tissues, held at the Indiana University School of Medicine in October 1984. The range of topics covered is wide, and most of the papers are straightforward research papers, presenting data. I couldn't help wondering whether the same data would also appear elsewhere. The topics are: Regulation of Folate Metabolism, Control of Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism, Regulation Through Protein Phosphatase and Kinase, Regulation of Enzymes and Alloenzymes, Targets of Chemotherapy at the Molecular Level, Cell Proliferation, DNA Repair and Enzyme Induction, Chemotherapy and Transport, Pathway Regulation Through Enzyme Control, Cyclic Nucleotides and Protein Kinases, and finally a review lecture, Protein OCarboxylation in Relation to Male Gamete Production and Function. B A Thompson
Subcellular Biochemistry. Volume 11 E d i t e d by D B R o o d y n . pp. 294. P l e n u m Press, N e w Y o r k . 1985. $49.50 ISBN 0-306-41959-9 This volume continues the high standard set by previous volumes, and contains five chapters on a wide variety of topics. These include cortical actin structures in relation to mammalian cell movements, the use of fluorescence probes, aspects of Gram-negative cell surfaces, the sarcolemma, and finally, membrane fusion. Schroeder's chapter on the use of fluorescence probes in unravelling asymmetric structures of membranes is especially useful and would form a good introduction to this area which, as the author says, is still in its infancy. Kidwai's chapter on the sarcolemma gives practical details of recently developed methods for the isolation of muscle plasma membrane and goes on to review the properties of the material so prepared. I was interested to read the details about the bacterial multifunctional major outer membrane protein called OmpA. But seriously, the chapter on Gram-negative cell surfaces is extremely comprehensive and illuminating. N James
E d i t e d by M J G e t h i n g . p p 215. C o l d S p r i n g H a r b o r L a b o r a t o r y , N Y . 1985. $30 ISBN 0-87969-183-2
interested in large-scale processes involving biologically-active materials, with more emphasis on the engineering than the biology. M F Chaplin
Eukaryotic Transcription
Trauma and its Metabolic Problems
Protein Transport and Secretion
E d i t e d by Y G l u z m a n . p p 200. $30
ISBN 0-87969-186-7
A meeting on Protein Transport and Secretion was held in Banbury (USA), attended by 50 of the leading workers in this exciting field. This paperback collects together 1000-2000-word abstracts of what was presented, and the areas cover bacterial, yeast and mammalian systems. The two main divisions of the Conference were into (1) analysis of cellular structures and processes involved in the biosynthesis, maturation and directional transport of membrane and secretory proteins, and (2) molecular analysis of particular regions or domains of proteins that are required for their transport through the cell. In addition -- and one of the most valuable features of the book - - the Editor has contributed a 15-page survey of this area. The collection would be useful to staff and students wishing to get in touch with this area, and the book is certainly topical and up to date. In a way each of the 'abstracts' is rather like, say, a TIBS article, having perhaps 1-2 diagrams and up to 12 references. Workers actually in the field might be tantalized by the brevity of the reports and the paucity of experimental data included. However they may find the collection useful, if ephemeral, in keeping them in touch with what is happening in parallel fields. Abbreviations have mercifully been kept to an absolute minimum, and although there is no Index, the titles of the abstracts, forming the Contents, are reasonably revealing. Eukaryotic Transcription has an identical format to Protein Transport and Secretion and entirely the same comments and criticisms apply. The conference itself took place in March 1985, and the 18-page review/introduction is written by W Schaffner. In addition there are about 30 short papers. For both collections it is stated, rightly, that " . . . individual summaries contained herein should not be treated as publications or listed in bibliographies. Information contained herein can be cited as personal communication contingent upon obtaining the consent of the author." B J Doverly
Biotechnology Volume 2: Fundamentals of Biochemical Engineering E d i t e d by H B r a u e r . pp. 819. V C H V e r l a g s g e s e l l s c h a f t m b H , W e i n h e i m , W. G e r m a n y . 1985. S u b s c r i p t i o n price £114 ISBN 3-527-25764-0 This volume covers the biochemical engineering aspects of biotechnology. It does so in a straightforward and interesting manner, the text being well broken up by many figures and tables. In outline it consists of 30 chapters grouped into three main sections concerning transport phenomena, microbial reaction engineering and bioreactors, and two smaller sections on selected unit operations (media preparation, sterilization and product recovery) and measurement and control. The chapters are written by a number of different authors but the style is uniform throughout, each chapter starting with a defined list of symbols and finishing with the relevant and often recent references. It is impossible to judge the whole of this detailed and comprehensive text fairly but, from the chapters I have examined, it would seem to be a worthy advanced addition to any biotechnological library. It is particularly relevant to chemical engineers, microbiologists and biochemists who are
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 14(2) 1986
Scientific E d i t o r , R N B a r t o n . p p 105. British M e d i c a l Bulletin Vol 41 N o 3, Churchill L i v i n g s t o n e , E d i n b u r g h . 1985. £16 ISBN 0-443-03250-5 This volume analyses the body's response to trauma. The primary reaction is that of the neuroendocrinological system from which many disturbances of fluid and electrolytic balance and of metabolic pathways follow. Members of the MRC Trauma Unit at Manchester have contributed to five of the papers in this monograph, which review the gross changes following on trauma. Later chapters discuss metabolism in more detail as well as the effects on a variety of systems including the liver, haemostasis and the complement system. It therefore achieves a very wide coverage of the complex events initiated by surgical and other forms of trauma and provides a valuable summary of the subject. John Kenny
Advances in Enzyme Regulation Volume 23 E d i t e d by G W e b e r . p p 463. P e r g a m o n Press, O x f o r d . 1985. £99 ISBN 0-08-032727-3 This volume documents the proceedings of the 23rd Symposium on Regulation of Enzyme Activity and Synthesis in Normal and Neoplastic Tissues, held at the Indiana University School of Medicine in October 1984. The range of topics covered is wide, and most of the papers are straightforward research papers, presenting data. I couldn't help wondering whether the same data would also appear elsewhere. The topics are: Regulation of Folate Metabolism, Control of Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism, Regulation Through Protein Phosphatase and Kinase, Regulation of Enzymes and Alloenzymes, Targets of Chemotherapy at the Molecular Level, Cell Proliferation, DNA Repair and Enzyme Induction, Chemotherapy and Transport, Pathway Regulation Through Enzyme Control, Cyclic Nucleotides and Protein Kinases, and finally a review lecture, Protein OCarboxylation in Relation to Male Gamete Production and Function. B A Thompson
Subcellular Biochemistry. Volume 11 E d i t e d by D B R o o d y n . pp. 294. P l e n u m Press, N e w Y o r k . 1985. $49.50 ISBN 0-306-41959-9 This volume continues the high standard set by previous volumes, and contains five chapters on a wide variety of topics. These include cortical actin structures in relation to mammalian cell movements, the use of fluorescence probes, aspects of Gram-negative cell surfaces, the sarcolemma, and finally, membrane fusion. Schroeder's chapter on the use of fluorescence probes in unravelling asymmetric structures of membranes is especially useful and would form a good introduction to this area which, as the author says, is still in its infancy. Kidwai's chapter on the sarcolemma gives practical details of recently developed methods for the isolation of muscle plasma membrane and goes on to review the properties of the material so prepared. I was interested to read the details about the bacterial multifunctional major outer membrane protein called OmpA. But seriously, the chapter on Gram-negative cell surfaces is extremely comprehensive and illuminating. N James