- Email: [email protected]
Isotopes in biochemistry. Proceedings of the symposium held in London under the auspices of the Ciba Foundation
232
BOOK
REVIEWS
Vol. 7. Edited by L. ZECHMEISTER, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Springer-Verlag, Vienna, 1950. vii + 330 pp. Price $12.80. The sixth volume of this series contains the following chapters: Some Biochemical and Nutritional Aspects in Fat Chemistry (86 pp.), by H. J. Deuel, Jr., and S. M. Greenberg; Odeurs et’parfums des animaux (67 pp.), by E. Lederer; Vorkommen und biochemisches Verhalten der Chinone (88 pp.), by 0. Hoffmann-Ostenoff; Cactus Alkaloids and Some Related Compounds (69 pp.), by L. Reti; Progr& rccentes en spectrochemie de fluorescence des produits biologiques (46 pp.), by C. Dhere. The subjects included in the seventh volume are: Ueber die Konstitution der Triterpene (86 pp.), by 0. Jeger; Konstitution, Konfiguration and Synthese digitaloider Aglykone und Glykoside (80 pp.), by H. Heusser; Thyroxine and Related Compounds (81 pp.), by C. Niemann; Penicillin and Its Place in Science (55 pp.), by A. H. Cook; Sennosides A and B, the Active Principles of Senna (22 pp.), by A. Stoll and B. Becker; Some Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Antibodies (36 pp.), by J. W. Williams. These timely reviews of topics of current interest continue to maintain the good quality of presentation that was established by the earlier volumes of the series. The material is presented at an advanced level suitable for advanced students and research workers. In general the individual chapters are characterized by a clear and concise style, and by a good selection of the relevant material. The chapters are well documented with a good selection of references to the original literature ; in many chapters more than 200 references are given. The text appears to be remarkably free of typographical errors. The individual volumes are well indexed, with author and subject entries. The series has now reached the point where it would be useful to have a sort of collective table of contents, which would contain a list of the topics covered in all of the previous volumes. This would require only a few pages and would be quite useful. JOHN R. JOHNSON, Ithaca,
New York
Isotopes in Biochemistry. Proceedings of the Symposium held in London under the auspices of the Ciba Foundation. Edited by G. E. W. WOLSTENHOLME. The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia, 1951. xvi + 288 pp. Price $5.00. The Ciba Foundation sponsored an international meeting March 12-15, 1951, at which some 22 papers dealing with various biochemical researches based on the use of isotopic labeling methods were presented. A distinguished group of investigators was in attendance, including a large proportion of those most active in pioneering and developing tracer methodology. Free and uninhibited discussion was encouraged. The present volume is a complete report of the material presented. The subjects treated fall into the following categories: steroids, with particular attention to cholesterol metabolism and synthesis, and production of labeled steroids; hemoglobin metabolism, including biosynthesis of porphyrin and related topics, as well as iron metabolism under pathological conditions; biological effects of radiation, including some particularly interesting articles on recent developments in autoradiography; nucleic acids including biosynthesis of pyrimidines,
BOOK REVIEWS
233
nucleosides, and nucleotides, and correlations between protein synthesis and nucleic acid metabolism; proteins and amino acids, with special reference to rate of synthesis and turnover in uivo; finally; carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, including acetone metabolism, asymmetric citric acid synthesis, and biosynthesis of fatty acids. This volume should prove of the utmost interest to all workers in biochemistry, in or out of the isotope field. It is one of the few source books available which stress integration of the tracer method into the various fields of biochemistry and place emphasis on problems rather than techniques. In general, all the papers have been written in a provocative and stimulating fashion and are accorded illuminating discussions. The working status of the various subjects treated is clearly revealed. Reproduction of tables and figures is good. MARTIN D. KAMEN, Saint Louis, Missouri Biological Actions of the Adenine Nucleotides. By H. N. GREEN, Professor of Pathology, University of Sheffield, and H. B. STONER, Research Assistant, Department of Pathology, University of Sheffield. H. K. Lewis and Co. Ltd., London, 1950.221 pp. Price 25 a. For the reader familiar with the biological activities of the adenine nucleotides as stores of energy and as components of enzyme systems this book will produce considerable surprise and may be the source of further experimentations: to determine precisely whether biologically important substances have different effects intracellularly and at the cell surface. Professor Green was invited during the last war to study the mechanism of traumatic shock. He discovered that the substances responsible for the shock-like symptoms produced by the injection of muscle and tissue extracts were adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and thromboplastin. A methodical study of the effects of these compounds as well as of their metabolic products was pursued, and this book presents the results in seven clearly written chapters. The shock-inducing properties of ATP seem to be due to the adenosine moiety and to the pyrophosphate residue, for each (adenosine and inorganic pyrophosphate) when injected alone did produce shock. The presence of the -NH2 group in the g-position seems bo enhance the activity, since inosine (where -NH2 is replaced by -OH) and guanosine (with the -NH group in the 2-position) were less active. The shock-inducing properties of ATP were also found to depend on the nature of the injected salt, the K salt producing shock in mice at a dose of 15 mg./199 g., the Mg salt at 20 mg., and the Na salt at 35 mg. If the same dose was necessary to produce shock in a 70-kg. man, 31.5 g. of NaATP would have to be injected, an amount obtained from 10 kg. of muscle. One of the most striking pharmacological actions of the adenine nucleotides is that upon the cardiovascular system-a depressing effect, which is due to a direct action on the heart and the blood vessels. A relationship between this physiological action and chemical structure was found. Thus while hypoxanthine had no effect, adenine had slight but definite action. Attachment of a pentose to these purine derivatives increased the effect. Finally, addition of pyrophosphate, as in ATP, produced maximum action. Adenylic acid and adenosine diphosphate were less effective than ATP.
BOOK
REVIEWS
Vol. 7. Edited by L. ZECHMEISTER, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Springer-Verlag, Vienna, 1950. vii + 330 pp. Price $12.80. The sixth volume of this series contains the following chapters: Some Biochemical and Nutritional Aspects in Fat Chemistry (86 pp.), by H. J. Deuel, Jr., and S. M. Greenberg; Odeurs et’parfums des animaux (67 pp.), by E. Lederer; Vorkommen und biochemisches Verhalten der Chinone (88 pp.), by 0. Hoffmann-Ostenoff; Cactus Alkaloids and Some Related Compounds (69 pp.), by L. Reti; Progr& rccentes en spectrochemie de fluorescence des produits biologiques (46 pp.), by C. Dhere. The subjects included in the seventh volume are: Ueber die Konstitution der Triterpene (86 pp.), by 0. Jeger; Konstitution, Konfiguration and Synthese digitaloider Aglykone und Glykoside (80 pp.), by H. Heusser; Thyroxine and Related Compounds (81 pp.), by C. Niemann; Penicillin and Its Place in Science (55 pp.), by A. H. Cook; Sennosides A and B, the Active Principles of Senna (22 pp.), by A. Stoll and B. Becker; Some Recent Developments in the Chemistry of Antibodies (36 pp.), by J. W. Williams. These timely reviews of topics of current interest continue to maintain the good quality of presentation that was established by the earlier volumes of the series. The material is presented at an advanced level suitable for advanced students and research workers. In general the individual chapters are characterized by a clear and concise style, and by a good selection of the relevant material. The chapters are well documented with a good selection of references to the original literature ; in many chapters more than 200 references are given. The text appears to be remarkably free of typographical errors. The individual volumes are well indexed, with author and subject entries. The series has now reached the point where it would be useful to have a sort of collective table of contents, which would contain a list of the topics covered in all of the previous volumes. This would require only a few pages and would be quite useful. JOHN R. JOHNSON, Ithaca,
New York
Isotopes in Biochemistry. Proceedings of the Symposium held in London under the auspices of the Ciba Foundation. Edited by G. E. W. WOLSTENHOLME. The Blakiston Company, Philadelphia, 1951. xvi + 288 pp. Price $5.00. The Ciba Foundation sponsored an international meeting March 12-15, 1951, at which some 22 papers dealing with various biochemical researches based on the use of isotopic labeling methods were presented. A distinguished group of investigators was in attendance, including a large proportion of those most active in pioneering and developing tracer methodology. Free and uninhibited discussion was encouraged. The present volume is a complete report of the material presented. The subjects treated fall into the following categories: steroids, with particular attention to cholesterol metabolism and synthesis, and production of labeled steroids; hemoglobin metabolism, including biosynthesis of porphyrin and related topics, as well as iron metabolism under pathological conditions; biological effects of radiation, including some particularly interesting articles on recent developments in autoradiography; nucleic acids including biosynthesis of pyrimidines,
BOOK REVIEWS
233
nucleosides, and nucleotides, and correlations between protein synthesis and nucleic acid metabolism; proteins and amino acids, with special reference to rate of synthesis and turnover in uivo; finally; carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, including acetone metabolism, asymmetric citric acid synthesis, and biosynthesis of fatty acids. This volume should prove of the utmost interest to all workers in biochemistry, in or out of the isotope field. It is one of the few source books available which stress integration of the tracer method into the various fields of biochemistry and place emphasis on problems rather than techniques. In general, all the papers have been written in a provocative and stimulating fashion and are accorded illuminating discussions. The working status of the various subjects treated is clearly revealed. Reproduction of tables and figures is good. MARTIN D. KAMEN, Saint Louis, Missouri Biological Actions of the Adenine Nucleotides. By H. N. GREEN, Professor of Pathology, University of Sheffield, and H. B. STONER, Research Assistant, Department of Pathology, University of Sheffield. H. K. Lewis and Co. Ltd., London, 1950.221 pp. Price 25 a. For the reader familiar with the biological activities of the adenine nucleotides as stores of energy and as components of enzyme systems this book will produce considerable surprise and may be the source of further experimentations: to determine precisely whether biologically important substances have different effects intracellularly and at the cell surface. Professor Green was invited during the last war to study the mechanism of traumatic shock. He discovered that the substances responsible for the shock-like symptoms produced by the injection of muscle and tissue extracts were adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and thromboplastin. A methodical study of the effects of these compounds as well as of their metabolic products was pursued, and this book presents the results in seven clearly written chapters. The shock-inducing properties of ATP seem to be due to the adenosine moiety and to the pyrophosphate residue, for each (adenosine and inorganic pyrophosphate) when injected alone did produce shock. The presence of the -NH2 group in the g-position seems bo enhance the activity, since inosine (where -NH2 is replaced by -OH) and guanosine (with the -NH group in the 2-position) were less active. The shock-inducing properties of ATP were also found to depend on the nature of the injected salt, the K salt producing shock in mice at a dose of 15 mg./199 g., the Mg salt at 20 mg., and the Na salt at 35 mg. If the same dose was necessary to produce shock in a 70-kg. man, 31.5 g. of NaATP would have to be injected, an amount obtained from 10 kg. of muscle. One of the most striking pharmacological actions of the adenine nucleotides is that upon the cardiovascular system-a depressing effect, which is due to a direct action on the heart and the blood vessels. A relationship between this physiological action and chemical structure was found. Thus while hypoxanthine had no effect, adenine had slight but definite action. Attachment of a pentose to these purine derivatives increased the effect. Finally, addition of pyrophosphate, as in ATP, produced maximum action. Adenylic acid and adenosine diphosphate were less effective than ATP.