Introduction to proteins and protein engineering

Gene, 64 (1988) 321-322

321

Elsevier GEN 02350

Book Reviews G. Guroff

Oncogenes,

(Ed.)

Genes,

and

Growth

Factors. John

Wiley & Sons, Somerset, NJ, xii + 386 pp. ($69.96) ISBN O-471-8295-6. [Contributions

of 28 authors,

platelet-derived

growth

factor

human

receptor

growth factor genes from molecular

logy to clinical

therapeutics;

structure

gene; bio-

and expres-

and J. Garnier

(Eds.):

Introduction

to

proteins and Protein ~ngineeyi~zg. Elsevier,

Amster($19O.OO/Dfl. 475.00)

dam, 1986, xvii + 699 pp. ISBN o-444-8068 1-4. [ 13 chapters and 4 appendices. The nature of proteins; the concept of primary structure; the concept of conformation; protein function; a case study: lysozyme; the special case of metalloproteins; biosynthesis and genetic manipulation; nature’s protein engineering: the five-billion-year project; calculation of secondary structure from the amino acid sequence; the calculation of tertiary structure: theory and methods; the calculation of tertiary structure; results and conclusions; design of novel peptides and proteins in industry; engineering proteins against infection; Appendix I: stereoscopic pictures of the 20 amino acid residues; Appendix II: list of proteins of known x-ray structure; Appendix III: the GOR method and program in BASIC for predication of secondary structure; Appendix IV: illustrative bibliography of conformational energy calculations.] 037X-l lI9/XX/SO3.50 0

1988 Else&r

Science Publishers

B.V. (Biomedical

readable

very general

presented

form.

compendium

It covers

both

and very specific aspects

protein physics, chemistry, ‘principles’

sion of the nerve growth factor gene; structure of transforming growth factor gene; structure of transforming growth factors r and /I and their precursors; the genes for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and multicolony-stimulating factor (IL-3); the erythropoietin gene; the interleukin-2 gene; molecular and cellular biology of the interleukin-2 receptor; the transferrin gene; the transferrin receptor gene; the interactions of peptide growth factors and oncogenes.] A timely compilation of the subjects listed above, as presented by a large number of experts in their respective fields.

B. Robson

in surprisingly historical,

growth factor and the sis-PDGF-2

gene, the epidermal epidermal

13 chapters:

1987,

This is a very thoughtfully

of

genetics and biology. The

and ‘backgrounds’

are masterfully

pared. This book could be highly recommended both the undergraduate

the

and graduate

prefor

level of teach-

ing; it is also a valuable guide for advanced

research.

P. Borst and G. Attardi (Eds.): MitoNo. 12). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 1982, xviii + 500 pp. ($82.50) ISBN O-87969-145-X. (The mitochondri~ genes meeting was held at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in May, 198 1. This volume includes 47 papers discussing animal mitochondrial genes, yeast mitochondrial genes and mitochondrial genes of plants.] P. Slonimski,

chondriul Genes. (Monograph

Walsh (Ed.): methods in Protein Sequence Humana Press, Clifton, NJ, 1987, xxxv + 658 pp. ($79.50) ISBN 0-89603-l 18-7. [The papers in this volume constitute the Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis, which was held at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA on August 17-21, 1986. Ten chapters contain papers discussing perspectives in the field, the interface of K.A.

Ana(ysis.

protein chemistry and molecular biology, mass spectrometric approaches, analytical boundaries, microanalytical tactics, general tactics, Edman degradation techniques, post-transcriptional modifications, homology and domain substructure, predictions and probes of three-dimensional structure.] J.D. Watson, N.H. Hopkins, J.W. Roberts, J.A. Steitz and A.M. Weiner (Eds.): Moiecuiur Biology of the Gene. Fourth Edition, two volumes. Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.; 1984, xxix + 744 pp. (Vol. I), xiv + 461 pp. plus index (Vol. II). {Vol. I: $39.95, Vol. II: $29.95) ISBN Vol. I: o-8053-9612-8; Vol. II: o-8053-9613-6 (both hardbound). [Volume I: (8 parts, 2 1 chapters) contains general Division)