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Genetic engineering of animals
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book reviews virulence plasmids, plasmids in Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Rhodococcusfasdans, Streptomyces vectors, the use of K-plasmid composite vectors, phagemids and hybrid vectors and, in the only nonprokaryote chapter, extrachromosomal cloning vectors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In most of the chapters, the majority of techniques described are organism-specific. I am concerned however, that using a biological rationale to divide up the book has obscured the information contained in it. The reader w h o hopes to learn about the biology of virulence plasmids from the chapter of that name will be disappointed. There is, however, a wealth of information about chemical and
site-directed mutagenesis, electrophoresis and R N A analysis, but I am at a loss to understand why this is deemed more relevant to a study of virulence than anything else. Admittedly, the book is well-indexed and the techniques can be located irrespective of the chapter in which they happen to appear. Nevertheless, I am left with the feeling that the form of presentation falls between two stools. It might be better to have a series of chapters discussing the biology of the various systems and specialized techniques, followed by a combined methods section covering techniques common to all areas ofplasmid biology. There is no doubt that plasmid biology is coming back into
From transcription to translation Genetic Engineering of Animals
edited by Alfred Puhler, VCH, 1993. UK~15.50 (viii + 177pages ) ISBN 3 527 30041 4 Cellular and molecular biology have, by degrees, become subjects dominated by terms beginning with the suffix 'trans'. This book manages to include most of the 'trans' words used in everyday biospeak in a m o d e m cell or molecular biology laboratory. The stated objectives of the editor in producing this book are twofold. His first aim is to inform an unknowing student audience ('beginners') about the wonders of gene expression (transcription and translation) and cell transfection. His second aim is to provide 'experts' with an up-to-date account of recent developments in the transgenesis field. T o achieve these two rather disparate objectives the book is arranged into just two chapters (both 'excerpted' from another review volume). The first chapter, for beginners, reviews and summarizes the processes of transcription and translation, before discussing methods for transfecting animal cells. I found the description of translation and protein biosynthesis dated; a significant portion of the material presented was taught in my undergraduate biochemistry
courses some 20 years ago! The second chapter is devoted entirely to transgenesis, and is an account of the experiences of a number of laboratories making, or attempting to make, transgenic farm animals or fish, as well as a summary of research involving transgenic mice. Unfortunately, the seams between chapters are all too obvious and, as the English, at times, leaves much to be desired, I found myself wondering about the editor's role. Some of the review material presented in this chapter is cursory and somewhat dated, as is to be expected in a field that is developing so rapidly. The section covering the use oftransgenic mice to study the immune system (my own area) suffers from this problem and is a very selective account of an, admittedly, difficult subject to review at the present time. Despite these criticisms, I did find some items in this book that interested me as an 'expert' on transgenesis. For example, a very simple transgenesis technique, reported a few years ago, but dismissed shortly afterwards as an unreliable way of generating transgenic mice, is revived and
fashion again, driven by the growing interest in microbial diversity. There is an urgent need for basic plasmid-handling methods to be established and disseminated for the interesting, but intractable, groups of organisms that promise much to biotechnology in the next decade. Despite my reservations about the organization of this book, it offers welcome encouragement to those brave enough to stray from the E. coli nursery and beyond Nanny Miller's watchful eye. David Summers
Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK CB2 3EH. discussed in detail in Chapter 2. Apparently, there are some reports of success in generating transgenic farm animals using this procedure, which involves incubation of D N A with sperm prior to oocyte fertilization in vitro. However, this is still an unreliable method of transgenesis. Most people reading this book would be attracted by the promise of up-to-date information on transgenesis and would not derive much benefit from reading Chapter 1. While there may be an element of something for everyone in this book, I cannot recommend it as essential reading, as far more comprehensive, and better written, laboratory manuals and reviews summarizing particular aspects of biological research that have benefited from the application of transgenesis techniques are available. In my opinion, the unique aspect of this book is the collation of attempts to make a variety of transgenic animals. Those with a need to know more about prospects for success (commercial or otherwise) with this new and emerging technology should learn something from Chapter 2 and, thus, this book might be a usefifl, if flawed, addition to a collection of works on transgenesis.
Andrew MeUor Division of Molecular Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, UK NW7 1AA. TIBTECHAUGUST1994(VOL12)
book reviews virulence plasmids, plasmids in Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Rhodococcusfasdans, Streptomyces vectors, the use of K-plasmid composite vectors, phagemids and hybrid vectors and, in the only nonprokaryote chapter, extrachromosomal cloning vectors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In most of the chapters, the majority of techniques described are organism-specific. I am concerned however, that using a biological rationale to divide up the book has obscured the information contained in it. The reader w h o hopes to learn about the biology of virulence plasmids from the chapter of that name will be disappointed. There is, however, a wealth of information about chemical and
site-directed mutagenesis, electrophoresis and R N A analysis, but I am at a loss to understand why this is deemed more relevant to a study of virulence than anything else. Admittedly, the book is well-indexed and the techniques can be located irrespective of the chapter in which they happen to appear. Nevertheless, I am left with the feeling that the form of presentation falls between two stools. It might be better to have a series of chapters discussing the biology of the various systems and specialized techniques, followed by a combined methods section covering techniques common to all areas ofplasmid biology. There is no doubt that plasmid biology is coming back into
From transcription to translation Genetic Engineering of Animals
edited by Alfred Puhler, VCH, 1993. UK~15.50 (viii + 177pages ) ISBN 3 527 30041 4 Cellular and molecular biology have, by degrees, become subjects dominated by terms beginning with the suffix 'trans'. This book manages to include most of the 'trans' words used in everyday biospeak in a m o d e m cell or molecular biology laboratory. The stated objectives of the editor in producing this book are twofold. His first aim is to inform an unknowing student audience ('beginners') about the wonders of gene expression (transcription and translation) and cell transfection. His second aim is to provide 'experts' with an up-to-date account of recent developments in the transgenesis field. T o achieve these two rather disparate objectives the book is arranged into just two chapters (both 'excerpted' from another review volume). The first chapter, for beginners, reviews and summarizes the processes of transcription and translation, before discussing methods for transfecting animal cells. I found the description of translation and protein biosynthesis dated; a significant portion of the material presented was taught in my undergraduate biochemistry
courses some 20 years ago! The second chapter is devoted entirely to transgenesis, and is an account of the experiences of a number of laboratories making, or attempting to make, transgenic farm animals or fish, as well as a summary of research involving transgenic mice. Unfortunately, the seams between chapters are all too obvious and, as the English, at times, leaves much to be desired, I found myself wondering about the editor's role. Some of the review material presented in this chapter is cursory and somewhat dated, as is to be expected in a field that is developing so rapidly. The section covering the use oftransgenic mice to study the immune system (my own area) suffers from this problem and is a very selective account of an, admittedly, difficult subject to review at the present time. Despite these criticisms, I did find some items in this book that interested me as an 'expert' on transgenesis. For example, a very simple transgenesis technique, reported a few years ago, but dismissed shortly afterwards as an unreliable way of generating transgenic mice, is revived and
fashion again, driven by the growing interest in microbial diversity. There is an urgent need for basic plasmid-handling methods to be established and disseminated for the interesting, but intractable, groups of organisms that promise much to biotechnology in the next decade. Despite my reservations about the organization of this book, it offers welcome encouragement to those brave enough to stray from the E. coli nursery and beyond Nanny Miller's watchful eye. David Summers
Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK CB2 3EH. discussed in detail in Chapter 2. Apparently, there are some reports of success in generating transgenic farm animals using this procedure, which involves incubation of D N A with sperm prior to oocyte fertilization in vitro. However, this is still an unreliable method of transgenesis. Most people reading this book would be attracted by the promise of up-to-date information on transgenesis and would not derive much benefit from reading Chapter 1. While there may be an element of something for everyone in this book, I cannot recommend it as essential reading, as far more comprehensive, and better written, laboratory manuals and reviews summarizing particular aspects of biological research that have benefited from the application of transgenesis techniques are available. In my opinion, the unique aspect of this book is the collation of attempts to make a variety of transgenic animals. Those with a need to know more about prospects for success (commercial or otherwise) with this new and emerging technology should learn something from Chapter 2 and, thus, this book might be a usefifl, if flawed, addition to a collection of works on transgenesis.
Andrew MeUor Division of Molecular Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, UK NW7 1AA. TIBTECHAUGUST1994(VOL12)