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Inorganic Biochemistry, Volume 2 (Specialist Periodical Reports)
34 Inorganic Biochemistry, Volume 2 (Specialist Periodical Reports) Edited by H A O Hill. pp 347. Royal Society o f Chemistry. 1981. £40. [Availability: Royal Society of Chemistry, Distribution Centre, Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, Herts SG6 1HN, UK. In USA: Special Issue Sales, American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington DC 20036. In Germany, Switzerland and Austria: Verlag Chemic, Foreign Sales Department, Postfach 126011280, D-6940, Weinheim. In Japan: US Asiatic Company Ltd, Tsutsumi Building, 13-12, 1-chome Shimbashi, Minato-ku, T o k y o 105 ]. The second volume, reviewing the literature up to 1978, in this series has finally appeared. As the first volume, this issue will once again appeal to biologists, chemists and biochemists. Particularly comprehensive are the chapters on Electrontransport Proteins, Oxidases and Reductases, and Zinc Metalloenzymes. The chapter on Electron-transport Proteins is well supported by numerous diagrams and tables. Other chapters are on Inorganic Analogues of Biological Molecules, Storage Transport and Function of Non-transition Elements, Manganese Metalloproteins and Manganese-Activated Enzymes, Trace Elements in Animal Nutrition, Inorganic Elements in Biology and Medicine. All the individual experts appear to be well versed with the literature. It is hoped that the same high level of reporting competence will continue in future issues although speed of publication, it must be emphasised, is the most important factor, in order for the series to be worthwhile for the price. J V Bannister
Department of Inorganic Chemistry University of Oxford Oxford, UK Basic Mathematics for Biochemists by A Cornish-Bowden. pp 137. Science Paperbacks, Chapman & Hall, London. 1981. £3.95 (pbk). ISBN 0-412-23010-0 It seems inappropriate to conduct classes in basic mathematics for all first-year biochemistry students, as some may have a grade A at Advanced level; but for remedial classes, or for the keen student at all levels who wishes to refresh his knowledge of essential yet fairly low-key mathematics, this b o o k will be of great value. It is written with the author's usual clarity of style, and displays his gift of being able to explain the mathematical aspects of biochemistry, such as pH, redox potentials and enzyme kinetics. Topics covered include dimensions, graphs, precision, exponents and logarithms, differentiation and integration, and solving equations, all embedded in a background of biochemistry and relevant physical chemistry. Each chapter has a number of problems with notes and solutions provided. D G Herries Biomolecular Structure, Conformation, a n d E v o l u t i o n . V o l u m e s 1 a n d 2.
Function,
Edited b y R Srinivasan, E Subramanian and N Yathindra. pp 685 and 653. Pergamon Press Ltd, Oxford, UK. 1981. $290 (two volumes). ISBN 0-80-023187-X This two-volume set represents an account of the proceedings of the International Symposium on Biomolecular Structure, Conformation, Function and Evolution, held in Madras, India, in January 1978. Volume 1 is entitled 'Diffraction and Related Studies' and Volume 2 'Physico-Chemical and Theoretical Studies'. Volume 1 deals with Proteins, Nucleic Acids and constituents, Protein-Nucleic acid Interactions, Polysaccharides, Viruses, Peptides, Drugs and other molecules, and Volume 2 deals with Proteins, Nucleic Acids and constituents, BIOCHEMICAL
EDUCATION
10(1)
1982
Biomolecular Interactions, Ribosomes, Membranes, Peptides, Drugs and other molecules, and Biomolecular Evolution. This compilation is a high-level research collection intended for the professional scientist, rather than the kind of work that seeks to make recent scientific advances intelligible to teachers, even at the university level. The books will be bought for the libraries o f research institutes rather than for students' or teachers' educational purposes. The compilation is, nevertheless, of excellent quality and very well produced. F o r example, those interested in protein or nucleic acid structure will find Volume 1 a most wideranging collection in which the standard of many of the papers is unusually high. I enjoyed Dickerson's description of cytochrome evolution, a series of papers on the yeast phenylalanine tRNA by Sundaralingam, Hingerty and others, and Diamond's paper on computer graphics. A possible criticism, which may detract somewhat from the value of the books, is the time taken for the material to appear in print: howevever one can sympathise because of the vast amount of material here. Also the index seemed rather short for such a large compilation. However, this is compensated for to some extent by a very clear, extended list of contents. A D McLachlan
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology University Medical School Cambridge, UK Problems of Biological Physics b y L A Blumenfeld. pp 222. Springer-Verlag. 1981. DM 60. ISBN 3-540-10401-1. This is a book that should be read by all serious students of biochemistry, but will, I fear, be read by only a few. This is because it deals with questions rather than answers, ideas rather than facts, approaches rather than solutions. To me it was compulsive reading because of both the love of the author for his subject - the papers of Perutz on haemoglobin are recommended for their aesthetic as well as scientific value and his incisive arguments dealing with widespread fallacies in experimental analysis, particularly as regards thermodynamic approaches to enzyme activity. Even when fundamentally in disagreement with the author - as I was with certain of his views on oxidative phosphorylation - one never fails to be stimulated by his approaches and his arguments. True, the book does suffer somewhat in not painting a systematic, coherent picture. While occasionally irritating, as the author indeed states in the Preface, this is the inevitable consequence of the breadth of areas covered and is worth enduring on these grounds. More annoying, I find, is the lack of editing by the English language p r e s s - l e a d i n g , for example, to the 'aminoacids' isoleycin, methyomine and triptophan, and several different spellings of lysozyme. This is a matter for the publishers - they have not done well to mar an otherwise stimulating text. D A Harris The Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Antibacterial Agents b y R A D Williams and Z L Kruk. London. 1981. £3.95 (paperback).
pp 89. Croom Helm, ISBN 0-85664-858-2
A clear, simplified account is given of the mechanism of action of sulphonamides and the principal antibiotics in clinical use for treating bacterial infections, together with an equally brief account of their pharmacology. It can be recommended for students in a hurry to obtain a simple introduction to this increasingly complex field; for those wishing to study the subject more deeply and to include antifungal, antiviral or antiparasitic drugs there are some excellent texts recommended for further reading. F W Chattaway
Department of Inorganic Chemistry University of Oxford Oxford, UK Basic Mathematics for Biochemists by A Cornish-Bowden. pp 137. Science Paperbacks, Chapman & Hall, London. 1981. £3.95 (pbk). ISBN 0-412-23010-0 It seems inappropriate to conduct classes in basic mathematics for all first-year biochemistry students, as some may have a grade A at Advanced level; but for remedial classes, or for the keen student at all levels who wishes to refresh his knowledge of essential yet fairly low-key mathematics, this b o o k will be of great value. It is written with the author's usual clarity of style, and displays his gift of being able to explain the mathematical aspects of biochemistry, such as pH, redox potentials and enzyme kinetics. Topics covered include dimensions, graphs, precision, exponents and logarithms, differentiation and integration, and solving equations, all embedded in a background of biochemistry and relevant physical chemistry. Each chapter has a number of problems with notes and solutions provided. D G Herries Biomolecular Structure, Conformation, a n d E v o l u t i o n . V o l u m e s 1 a n d 2.
Function,
Edited b y R Srinivasan, E Subramanian and N Yathindra. pp 685 and 653. Pergamon Press Ltd, Oxford, UK. 1981. $290 (two volumes). ISBN 0-80-023187-X This two-volume set represents an account of the proceedings of the International Symposium on Biomolecular Structure, Conformation, Function and Evolution, held in Madras, India, in January 1978. Volume 1 is entitled 'Diffraction and Related Studies' and Volume 2 'Physico-Chemical and Theoretical Studies'. Volume 1 deals with Proteins, Nucleic Acids and constituents, Protein-Nucleic acid Interactions, Polysaccharides, Viruses, Peptides, Drugs and other molecules, and Volume 2 deals with Proteins, Nucleic Acids and constituents, BIOCHEMICAL
EDUCATION
10(1)
1982
Biomolecular Interactions, Ribosomes, Membranes, Peptides, Drugs and other molecules, and Biomolecular Evolution. This compilation is a high-level research collection intended for the professional scientist, rather than the kind of work that seeks to make recent scientific advances intelligible to teachers, even at the university level. The books will be bought for the libraries o f research institutes rather than for students' or teachers' educational purposes. The compilation is, nevertheless, of excellent quality and very well produced. F o r example, those interested in protein or nucleic acid structure will find Volume 1 a most wideranging collection in which the standard of many of the papers is unusually high. I enjoyed Dickerson's description of cytochrome evolution, a series of papers on the yeast phenylalanine tRNA by Sundaralingam, Hingerty and others, and Diamond's paper on computer graphics. A possible criticism, which may detract somewhat from the value of the books, is the time taken for the material to appear in print: howevever one can sympathise because of the vast amount of material here. Also the index seemed rather short for such a large compilation. However, this is compensated for to some extent by a very clear, extended list of contents. A D McLachlan
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology University Medical School Cambridge, UK Problems of Biological Physics b y L A Blumenfeld. pp 222. Springer-Verlag. 1981. DM 60. ISBN 3-540-10401-1. This is a book that should be read by all serious students of biochemistry, but will, I fear, be read by only a few. This is because it deals with questions rather than answers, ideas rather than facts, approaches rather than solutions. To me it was compulsive reading because of both the love of the author for his subject - the papers of Perutz on haemoglobin are recommended for their aesthetic as well as scientific value and his incisive arguments dealing with widespread fallacies in experimental analysis, particularly as regards thermodynamic approaches to enzyme activity. Even when fundamentally in disagreement with the author - as I was with certain of his views on oxidative phosphorylation - one never fails to be stimulated by his approaches and his arguments. True, the book does suffer somewhat in not painting a systematic, coherent picture. While occasionally irritating, as the author indeed states in the Preface, this is the inevitable consequence of the breadth of areas covered and is worth enduring on these grounds. More annoying, I find, is the lack of editing by the English language p r e s s - l e a d i n g , for example, to the 'aminoacids' isoleycin, methyomine and triptophan, and several different spellings of lysozyme. This is a matter for the publishers - they have not done well to mar an otherwise stimulating text. D A Harris The Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Antibacterial Agents b y R A D Williams and Z L Kruk. London. 1981. £3.95 (paperback).
pp 89. Croom Helm, ISBN 0-85664-858-2
A clear, simplified account is given of the mechanism of action of sulphonamides and the principal antibiotics in clinical use for treating bacterial infections, together with an equally brief account of their pharmacology. It can be recommended for students in a hurry to obtain a simple introduction to this increasingly complex field; for those wishing to study the subject more deeply and to include antifungal, antiviral or antiparasitic drugs there are some excellent texts recommended for further reading. F W Chattaway