- Email: [email protected]
Isozymes: Current topics in biological and medical research, vol. 6
347
T I B S - S e p t e m b e r 1 983
In the f'irst chapter, D. A. T. Southgate and J. M. Penson review a great deal of evidence which could imply that increased dietary fibre exerts a protective influence against a series o f diseases ranging in importance from constipation to cancer, but they also point out how inconclusive much of this evidence is. D. P. Burkitt, whose writings were to a major degree responsible for the attention being paid to fibre, follows this up with an evangelical chapter in support of his hypothesis. Yet as he himself admits, hard facts are not easy to find. Early evidence, as he says, was to a large extent anecdotal, 'although this in no way detracts from its value' - an assertion to which critical readers find it difficult to agree. Much later in the book when we come to Chapter 14, M. J. Hill concludes (and with less hesitation) that evidence incriminating lack of fibre in inflammatory bowel disease, benign or malignant turnouts, appendicitis, diabetes, atheromas and varicose veins is still largely anecdotal and inconclu-
sive. And although fibre undoubtedly increases the faecal mass o f those who add it to their diet, part of the reason why constipation is less common in Africa than in Britain may be not solely that people consume more fibre in Africa but that they use laxatives and enemas more extensively. One can sympathize with the food chemist, one eye scanning this dubious evidence of need and the other keeping watch on public demand, whose business it is to formulate foods richer or poorer in fibre. W. D. B. Hamilton of Kelloggs contributes a chapter on 'Food product formulation'; H. W. Staub, B. Mardones and N. Shah of General Foods another on ' M o d e m dietary fibre product development'; while E. C. Apling and P. R. Ellis of the Department of Food Science and two separate groups from the National College of Food Technology of the University of Reading discuss problems arising from the addition to bread o f 'fibre' in the form of guar, the sticky exudate of the Indian cluster bean. At first
Sixth synopsis on isoenzymes Isozymes: CurrentTopics in Biological and Medical Research, Vol. 6 edited by Mario C. Rattazzi, J o h n G. Scandalios a n d G r e g o r y S. Whiff, A l a n R. Liss, 1982. £ 4 4 . 0 0 (xi + 2 9 7 p a g e s ) ISBN 0 845 10255 9
This is the sixth volume in what is now a well established series covering all aspects of isoenzyme research. Given this wide coverage, it is obvious that readers of this and previous volumes will find particular articles of greater or lesser relevance, depending on their own particular interests. Nevertheless, the review of 'Gel Electrophoresis and Cryptic Protein Variation' by J. A. Coyne is of general interest, as is the discussion of 'Evolutionary Change of Duplicate Genes' by Wen-Hsiung Li. Two major reviews of isoenzymes involved in the glycolytic pathway are included: 'lsozymes of Phosphofructokinase' by Shobhana Vora, and 'Glucosephosphate and Triosephosphate Isomerases: Significance of Isozyme Structural Differences in Evolution, Physiology and Aging' by R. W. Gracy. Both are comprehensive and authoritative, and bring together much information that is of general as well as special interest. The alkaline phosphatases constitute an enzyme system of great clinical interest, but als0 one of considerable complexity. Considerable advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular basis of alkaline phosphatase heterogeneity, as a result o f the recognition that the placental and intestinal isoenzymes are each the pro-
duct of a separate structural gene. The evidence in support of this hypothesis is reviewed by Stigbrand, "Millan and Fishman. However, the genetic status of alkaline phosphatases from other tissues remains unclear. 'Linkage of Mammalian Isozyme Loci: A Comparative Approach', by J. E. Womack, contains much useful information on gene maps of mammalian species. In its list of loci of human enzymes it extends the review contributed by Shows to Volume 2 of the present series. The complex subject of 'Plant Nucleases' is Books Received Review copies of the following books have been received. Books which have been reviewedin full in TIBS are not included. List 5 continued J. A. TimbrellPrinciples of Biochemical Toxicology Taylor and FrancisLimited, London, 1982.£13.50 (x + 249 pages) ISBN0 85066221 4 Anthony T. Tu Raman Spectroscopy in Biology: Principles and Applications John Wiley and Sons, 1982. £50.70 (xvi + 448 pages) ISBN 0 471 07984 7 G. VeminChemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds in Flavours and Aromas Ellis HorwoodLtd, 1982. Distributedby John Wiley and Sons. £32.50 (375 pages) ISBN 0 853 12263 6 (Ellis HorwoodLtd) 0 470 27336 4 (JohnWiley and Sons) Robin Weiss, NatalieTeich, HaroldVarmusand John Coffin Molecular Biology of Tumor Viruses, 2nd edn: RNA Tumor Viruses Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1982. $110.00 (USA) $132.00 (elsewhere) (x + 1396pages) ISBN 0 879 69132 8 List 6 R. A. Abramovitch (ed.) Reactive Intermediates, Vol. 2 Plenum Press, 1982. $59.50 (U.S.A. and
sight, these last appear to be somewhat esoteric researches in view of the fact that, as quoted by Hill, whereas the addition o f 20 g of fibre from bran to the diet increases the daily faecal mass by 127% and from cabbage by 69%, the addition of 20 g of 'fibre' from guar only increases faecal mass by 20%. The book contains substantial chapters on the chemical analysis of the components of dietary fibre from many sources, on the chemical composition of faeces, as well as the analysis of intestinal gas. All in all, it provides a wealth of fundamental information. However, as I have said, where the evidence set out is weak is whether added fibre is or is not beneficial. Today's received wisdom is that high-fibre diets should be prescribed for diverticular disease, but will that be the last word tomorrow. MAGNUSPYKE Sometime Secretary, British Association for the Advancement of Science.
reviewed by C. M. Wilson. 'The Use of Isozymes in Forensic Science', described in this volume by G. F. Sensabaugh, will perhaps be the least familiar of all the topics dealt with as far as most biochemists are concerned, but is one which is nevertheless not without general interest. Since isoenzyme studies now find applications in so many fields o f biochemistry, this series continues to provide a welcome regular synopsis of current research. D W. MOSS Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Road, London WI2 0HS. UK.
Canada)/$71.40 (elsewhere)(xvi + 599 pages)ISBN 0 306 40594 6 Henry, C. Aldrich and John W. Daniel (eds) Cell Biology of Physarumand Didymium, Vol. 1: Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle Academic Press, 1982. £36.40/$55.00 (xii + 444 pages) ISBN 0 120 49601 1 M. Z. Atassi (ed.) Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Vol. 150: lmmunobiology of Proteins and Peptides - H Plenum Press, 1982. $35.00 (U.S.A. and Canada)/$42.00 (elsewhere)(viii ~-230 pages) ISBN 0 306 41110 5 P. H. Bach, F. W. Bonner, J. W. Bridges and E. A. Lock Nephrotoxicity - Assessment and Pathogenesis (Monographs in Applied Toxicology. No. 1, 1982) WileyHeydenLtd, 1982.£25.00 (xvi + 528 pages) ISBN0 471 26212 9 Francesco Bossa, Emilia Chia~cone, Allesandro Finazzi Agr6 and Robert Strom Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Vol. 148: Structure and Function Relationships in Biochemical Systems PlenumPress, 1982. $49.50 (U.S.A. and Canada)IS59.40 (elsewhere) (x ~ 385 pages) ISBN 0306410346
T I B S - S e p t e m b e r 1 983
In the f'irst chapter, D. A. T. Southgate and J. M. Penson review a great deal of evidence which could imply that increased dietary fibre exerts a protective influence against a series o f diseases ranging in importance from constipation to cancer, but they also point out how inconclusive much of this evidence is. D. P. Burkitt, whose writings were to a major degree responsible for the attention being paid to fibre, follows this up with an evangelical chapter in support of his hypothesis. Yet as he himself admits, hard facts are not easy to find. Early evidence, as he says, was to a large extent anecdotal, 'although this in no way detracts from its value' - an assertion to which critical readers find it difficult to agree. Much later in the book when we come to Chapter 14, M. J. Hill concludes (and with less hesitation) that evidence incriminating lack of fibre in inflammatory bowel disease, benign or malignant turnouts, appendicitis, diabetes, atheromas and varicose veins is still largely anecdotal and inconclu-
sive. And although fibre undoubtedly increases the faecal mass o f those who add it to their diet, part of the reason why constipation is less common in Africa than in Britain may be not solely that people consume more fibre in Africa but that they use laxatives and enemas more extensively. One can sympathize with the food chemist, one eye scanning this dubious evidence of need and the other keeping watch on public demand, whose business it is to formulate foods richer or poorer in fibre. W. D. B. Hamilton of Kelloggs contributes a chapter on 'Food product formulation'; H. W. Staub, B. Mardones and N. Shah of General Foods another on ' M o d e m dietary fibre product development'; while E. C. Apling and P. R. Ellis of the Department of Food Science and two separate groups from the National College of Food Technology of the University of Reading discuss problems arising from the addition to bread o f 'fibre' in the form of guar, the sticky exudate of the Indian cluster bean. At first
Sixth synopsis on isoenzymes Isozymes: CurrentTopics in Biological and Medical Research, Vol. 6 edited by Mario C. Rattazzi, J o h n G. Scandalios a n d G r e g o r y S. Whiff, A l a n R. Liss, 1982. £ 4 4 . 0 0 (xi + 2 9 7 p a g e s ) ISBN 0 845 10255 9
This is the sixth volume in what is now a well established series covering all aspects of isoenzyme research. Given this wide coverage, it is obvious that readers of this and previous volumes will find particular articles of greater or lesser relevance, depending on their own particular interests. Nevertheless, the review of 'Gel Electrophoresis and Cryptic Protein Variation' by J. A. Coyne is of general interest, as is the discussion of 'Evolutionary Change of Duplicate Genes' by Wen-Hsiung Li. Two major reviews of isoenzymes involved in the glycolytic pathway are included: 'lsozymes of Phosphofructokinase' by Shobhana Vora, and 'Glucosephosphate and Triosephosphate Isomerases: Significance of Isozyme Structural Differences in Evolution, Physiology and Aging' by R. W. Gracy. Both are comprehensive and authoritative, and bring together much information that is of general as well as special interest. The alkaline phosphatases constitute an enzyme system of great clinical interest, but als0 one of considerable complexity. Considerable advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular basis of alkaline phosphatase heterogeneity, as a result o f the recognition that the placental and intestinal isoenzymes are each the pro-
duct of a separate structural gene. The evidence in support of this hypothesis is reviewed by Stigbrand, "Millan and Fishman. However, the genetic status of alkaline phosphatases from other tissues remains unclear. 'Linkage of Mammalian Isozyme Loci: A Comparative Approach', by J. E. Womack, contains much useful information on gene maps of mammalian species. In its list of loci of human enzymes it extends the review contributed by Shows to Volume 2 of the present series. The complex subject of 'Plant Nucleases' is Books Received Review copies of the following books have been received. Books which have been reviewedin full in TIBS are not included. List 5 continued J. A. TimbrellPrinciples of Biochemical Toxicology Taylor and FrancisLimited, London, 1982.£13.50 (x + 249 pages) ISBN0 85066221 4 Anthony T. Tu Raman Spectroscopy in Biology: Principles and Applications John Wiley and Sons, 1982. £50.70 (xvi + 448 pages) ISBN 0 471 07984 7 G. VeminChemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds in Flavours and Aromas Ellis HorwoodLtd, 1982. Distributedby John Wiley and Sons. £32.50 (375 pages) ISBN 0 853 12263 6 (Ellis HorwoodLtd) 0 470 27336 4 (JohnWiley and Sons) Robin Weiss, NatalieTeich, HaroldVarmusand John Coffin Molecular Biology of Tumor Viruses, 2nd edn: RNA Tumor Viruses Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1982. $110.00 (USA) $132.00 (elsewhere) (x + 1396pages) ISBN 0 879 69132 8 List 6 R. A. Abramovitch (ed.) Reactive Intermediates, Vol. 2 Plenum Press, 1982. $59.50 (U.S.A. and
sight, these last appear to be somewhat esoteric researches in view of the fact that, as quoted by Hill, whereas the addition o f 20 g of fibre from bran to the diet increases the daily faecal mass by 127% and from cabbage by 69%, the addition of 20 g of 'fibre' from guar only increases faecal mass by 20%. The book contains substantial chapters on the chemical analysis of the components of dietary fibre from many sources, on the chemical composition of faeces, as well as the analysis of intestinal gas. All in all, it provides a wealth of fundamental information. However, as I have said, where the evidence set out is weak is whether added fibre is or is not beneficial. Today's received wisdom is that high-fibre diets should be prescribed for diverticular disease, but will that be the last word tomorrow. MAGNUSPYKE Sometime Secretary, British Association for the Advancement of Science.
reviewed by C. M. Wilson. 'The Use of Isozymes in Forensic Science', described in this volume by G. F. Sensabaugh, will perhaps be the least familiar of all the topics dealt with as far as most biochemists are concerned, but is one which is nevertheless not without general interest. Since isoenzyme studies now find applications in so many fields o f biochemistry, this series continues to provide a welcome regular synopsis of current research. D W. MOSS Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Road, London WI2 0HS. UK.
Canada)/$71.40 (elsewhere)(xvi + 599 pages)ISBN 0 306 40594 6 Henry, C. Aldrich and John W. Daniel (eds) Cell Biology of Physarumand Didymium, Vol. 1: Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle Academic Press, 1982. £36.40/$55.00 (xii + 444 pages) ISBN 0 120 49601 1 M. Z. Atassi (ed.) Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Vol. 150: lmmunobiology of Proteins and Peptides - H Plenum Press, 1982. $35.00 (U.S.A. and Canada)/$42.00 (elsewhere)(viii ~-230 pages) ISBN 0 306 41110 5 P. H. Bach, F. W. Bonner, J. W. Bridges and E. A. Lock Nephrotoxicity - Assessment and Pathogenesis (Monographs in Applied Toxicology. No. 1, 1982) WileyHeydenLtd, 1982.£25.00 (xvi + 528 pages) ISBN0 471 26212 9 Francesco Bossa, Emilia Chia~cone, Allesandro Finazzi Agr6 and Robert Strom Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Vol. 148: Structure and Function Relationships in Biochemical Systems PlenumPress, 1982. $49.50 (U.S.A. and Canada)IS59.40 (elsewhere) (x ~ 385 pages) ISBN 0306410346