- Email: [email protected]
Membrane structure and function, 4
Book Reviews 457
genetic microbiology and provide a very useful introduction for any microbiologist who plans to take advantage of these sophisticated techniques. L. Frenczy discusses microbial protoplast fusion, David Sherratt gene manipulation in vivo (there is a misprint here in the Table of Contents), and Kenneth N. Timmis presents an eminently clear and complete discription of the methods used for manipulation of DNA in vitro. The subsequent chapters deal with application of genetics to specific problems and are of uneven quality. The chapter by D. A. Hopwood on genetic studies of antibiotics and other secondary metabolites stands out by its scope and by the clarity of the presentation. The reader can learn more about the use of genetics in fungi from this chapter than from the chapter by Herbert N. Arst, Jr., dealing with gene expression in fungi, which is narrowly focused on problems of particular interest to the author. Of value and general interest are a series of chapters dealing with the genetic control of nitrogen fixation, the genetics of the bacterial cell surface, the genetics of bacterial chemotaxis, the genetic analysis of the cell cycle, the genetic analysis of the differentiating bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, the genetics of bacterial virulence and the genetics of photosynthesis and the chloroplast. In all these chapters the emphasis is on the application of modern genetic methodology. The chapter on the genetics of pathogenic fungi, by P. R. Day, seems somewhat out of place in this book, since apparently these methods have as yet not been used to study these organisms. Similarly misplaced is the chapter by Andrew A. Travers et al. on the transcriptional regulation by bacterial RNA polymerase. It deals almost exclusively with biochemical studies of the author’s laboratory, whose results have not found general acceptance. In summary, this book is recommended to all scientists who wish to become familiar with the application of genetic methods to microbiological studies. Boris Magasanik Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Contractile
Mechanisms
Membrane Structure and Function, Edited by E. E. Bittar. New York: John Wiley and Sons. $37.50.
4. (1981).
246
pp.
The title does not accurately describe this fourth volume in a series devoted to the mechanism of contrac-
tion in skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle, as well as to an assessment of muscle energetics. Of course, the role of membranes in the excitation of muscle is given prominent mention, but this book is much wider in scope, covering all different aspects of contraction. This ambitious undertaking is organized into four chapters, each by a different author. The first chapter, by Christopher Ashley, gives an excellent description and analysis of the contractile mechanism in skeletal muscle. It is well written and referenced and covers a very broad range of subjects-for example, structure of skeletal muscle, biochemistry of the contractile proteins, excitation of the contractile system and mechanical events during contraction. The author discusses a large amount of recent experimental work in a comprehensive and comprehensible manner. Most importantly, he critically evaluates the data and indicates where further research is needed. This is particularly well done in the section on excitation of the contractile system. The one shortcoming of this chapter is that even though experimental data published as recently as 1980 are referenced, there have nevertheless been some important advances (for example, in the biochemistry of the actomyosin cycle and muscle regulation) that already somewhat date Ashley’s review. This chapter does, however, provide an excellent framework of the basic principles of muscle contraction which are used throughout this book. In the second chapter, Frederic Fay, Dianne Rees and David Warshaw present a great deal of useful and up-to-date information on the contractile mechanism of smooth muscle. They build on the knowledge given in the first chapter to give the reader a real appreciation of the differences between smooth muscle and skeletal muscle. One such difference discussed in some detail is the mechanism of regulation of the actomyosin ATPase by calcium. In smooth muscle, this regulation involves multiple levels of control, including phosphorylation of the light chain of myosin. One primary virtue of this chapter is that the authors clearly distinguish what is actually know about smooth muscle from what is inferred on the basis of our knowledge of skeletal muscle, thus clearly elucidating major areas where more research is needed to understand the mechanism of contraction in smooth muscle. For example, there is a conspicuous lack of information on the structural organization of actin and myosin filaments in smooth muscle. The third chapter, by Saul Winegrad, on the mechanism of contraction of cardiac muscle, is devoted mainly to the subject of excitation of cardiac muscle. He covers this topic in great detail, but there is practically no discussion of the mechanics of cardiac muscle contraction. In addition, he often fails to point out which properties of heart muscle are unique and which are shared with skeletal muscle. The final chapter, by Martin Kushmerick and
Cell 458
Michael Crow, examines the energetics of muscle contraction. This is a fitting subject to end this volume since it reminds the reader that skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle all function to convert the energy of ATP hydrolysis into mechanical work. The authors present a thorough and critical review of the literature on heat changes during skeletal muscle contraction, always attempting to relate the experimental data to biochemical and mechanical events. This is exemplified by their discussion of the observed differences in heat production during isometric contraction by the sattorius muscle of Rana pipiens and R. temporaria. My one criticism of this chapter is that the authors fail to explore the various theories that have been proposed on how the actomyosin ATPase pathway enables the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to be converted to mechanical work. All in all, the chapters in this volume fit together to make a well integrated whole, resulting in a timely and comprehensive discussion of the mechanism of muscle contraction.
Received
Bloom, A. D. and James, L. S.. eds. (1981). The Fetus and the Newborn: Annual Review of Birth Defects, 1980. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Birth Defects: Original Article Series, 7 7. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. 286 pp. $36.00. Brewer, G. J., ed. (1981). The Red Cell: Fifth Ann Arbor Conference. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 55. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 840 pp. $78.00. Burnstock, G.. ed. (1981). Purinergic Receptors. Receptors and Recognition, Series B, 12. London: Chapman and Hall (distributed in New York by Methuen. Inc.). 368 pp. $49.95. J., Mortel. Hormonal
R. and Gautray, J. P., eds. (1981). The EndoImpacts. New York: Plenum Press. 167 pp.
di Fiore, hf. S. H. (1981). Atlas of Human Histology. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. 267 pp. $19.50.
Fifth
edition.
DuBow. M. S.. ed. (1981). Bacteriophage Assembly. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 64. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. 574 pp. $52.00. Goodman, S. I. and Markey. S. P. (1981). Diagnosis Acidemias by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Alan R. Liss, Inc. 148 pp. $28.00.
Mielke. C. H.. Jr., ed. (1981). Apheresis: Development, Applications, and Collection Procedures. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 65. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 180 pp. $18.00. Roe, D. A., ed. (1981). Drug-Nutrient Interactions, 1. New York: R. Liss, Inc. 86 pp. $70.00 (subscription, quarterly).
Alan
Rosen, 0. M. and Krebs. E. G.. eds. (1981). Protein Phosphorylation. Cold Spring Harbor Conferences on Cell Proliferation, 8. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. 1421 pp. (2-book set). $140.00. Schwemmler, W. and Schenk. H. E. A., eds. (1980). Endocytobiology: Endosymbiosis and Cell Biology-A Synthesis of Recent Research. New York: Walter de Gruyter. 1060 pp. $95.00. Spiller, G. A., ed. (1981). in Nutrition and Disease, $40.00.
Nutritional Pharmacology. Current Topics 4. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 266 pp.
Tapia, R. and Cotman. C. W.. eds. (1981). Regulatory Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission. New York: Plenum Press. 422 pp. $39.50. Engineering,
2. New York:
Aca-
Yamamura. H. I. and Enna. S. J., eds. (1981). Neurotransmitter Receptors, Part 2, Biogenic Amines. Receptors and Recognition, Series B, 70. London: Chapman and Hall (distributed in New York by Methuen, Inc.). 273 pp. $37.50.
Acosta Vidrio. E. and Galina, A.. eds. (1981). Advances in the Morphology of Cells and Tissues. Eleventh International Congress of Anatomy, Part B. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 416 pp. $36.00.
de Brux. metrium: $29.50.
of in
Maids, J. A. and Person, R. J., eds. (1981). Pathophysiological Effects of Endotoxins at the Cellular Level. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 62. New York: Alan R. Lisa.. Inc. 204 pp. $32.00.
Williamson, R.. ed. (1981). Genetic demic Press. 204 pp. $24.00-paper.
Lois E. Greene Laboratory of Cell Biology National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Bethesda, Maryland 20205
Books
Loewus. F. A. and Ryan, C. A., eds. (1981). The Phytochemistry Cell Recognition and Cell Surface Interactions. Recent Advances Phytochemistry. 15. New York: Plenum Press. 277 pp. $37.50.
of Organic New York:
Lamy. J. and Lamy. J., eds. (1981). Invertebrate Oxygen-Binding Proteins. New York: Marcel Dekker. 864 pp. $85.00.
genetic microbiology and provide a very useful introduction for any microbiologist who plans to take advantage of these sophisticated techniques. L. Frenczy discusses microbial protoplast fusion, David Sherratt gene manipulation in vivo (there is a misprint here in the Table of Contents), and Kenneth N. Timmis presents an eminently clear and complete discription of the methods used for manipulation of DNA in vitro. The subsequent chapters deal with application of genetics to specific problems and are of uneven quality. The chapter by D. A. Hopwood on genetic studies of antibiotics and other secondary metabolites stands out by its scope and by the clarity of the presentation. The reader can learn more about the use of genetics in fungi from this chapter than from the chapter by Herbert N. Arst, Jr., dealing with gene expression in fungi, which is narrowly focused on problems of particular interest to the author. Of value and general interest are a series of chapters dealing with the genetic control of nitrogen fixation, the genetics of the bacterial cell surface, the genetics of bacterial chemotaxis, the genetic analysis of the cell cycle, the genetic analysis of the differentiating bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, the genetics of bacterial virulence and the genetics of photosynthesis and the chloroplast. In all these chapters the emphasis is on the application of modern genetic methodology. The chapter on the genetics of pathogenic fungi, by P. R. Day, seems somewhat out of place in this book, since apparently these methods have as yet not been used to study these organisms. Similarly misplaced is the chapter by Andrew A. Travers et al. on the transcriptional regulation by bacterial RNA polymerase. It deals almost exclusively with biochemical studies of the author’s laboratory, whose results have not found general acceptance. In summary, this book is recommended to all scientists who wish to become familiar with the application of genetic methods to microbiological studies. Boris Magasanik Department of Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Contractile
Mechanisms
Membrane Structure and Function, Edited by E. E. Bittar. New York: John Wiley and Sons. $37.50.
4. (1981).
246
pp.
The title does not accurately describe this fourth volume in a series devoted to the mechanism of contrac-
tion in skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle, as well as to an assessment of muscle energetics. Of course, the role of membranes in the excitation of muscle is given prominent mention, but this book is much wider in scope, covering all different aspects of contraction. This ambitious undertaking is organized into four chapters, each by a different author. The first chapter, by Christopher Ashley, gives an excellent description and analysis of the contractile mechanism in skeletal muscle. It is well written and referenced and covers a very broad range of subjects-for example, structure of skeletal muscle, biochemistry of the contractile proteins, excitation of the contractile system and mechanical events during contraction. The author discusses a large amount of recent experimental work in a comprehensive and comprehensible manner. Most importantly, he critically evaluates the data and indicates where further research is needed. This is particularly well done in the section on excitation of the contractile system. The one shortcoming of this chapter is that even though experimental data published as recently as 1980 are referenced, there have nevertheless been some important advances (for example, in the biochemistry of the actomyosin cycle and muscle regulation) that already somewhat date Ashley’s review. This chapter does, however, provide an excellent framework of the basic principles of muscle contraction which are used throughout this book. In the second chapter, Frederic Fay, Dianne Rees and David Warshaw present a great deal of useful and up-to-date information on the contractile mechanism of smooth muscle. They build on the knowledge given in the first chapter to give the reader a real appreciation of the differences between smooth muscle and skeletal muscle. One such difference discussed in some detail is the mechanism of regulation of the actomyosin ATPase by calcium. In smooth muscle, this regulation involves multiple levels of control, including phosphorylation of the light chain of myosin. One primary virtue of this chapter is that the authors clearly distinguish what is actually know about smooth muscle from what is inferred on the basis of our knowledge of skeletal muscle, thus clearly elucidating major areas where more research is needed to understand the mechanism of contraction in smooth muscle. For example, there is a conspicuous lack of information on the structural organization of actin and myosin filaments in smooth muscle. The third chapter, by Saul Winegrad, on the mechanism of contraction of cardiac muscle, is devoted mainly to the subject of excitation of cardiac muscle. He covers this topic in great detail, but there is practically no discussion of the mechanics of cardiac muscle contraction. In addition, he often fails to point out which properties of heart muscle are unique and which are shared with skeletal muscle. The final chapter, by Martin Kushmerick and
Cell 458
Michael Crow, examines the energetics of muscle contraction. This is a fitting subject to end this volume since it reminds the reader that skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle all function to convert the energy of ATP hydrolysis into mechanical work. The authors present a thorough and critical review of the literature on heat changes during skeletal muscle contraction, always attempting to relate the experimental data to biochemical and mechanical events. This is exemplified by their discussion of the observed differences in heat production during isometric contraction by the sattorius muscle of Rana pipiens and R. temporaria. My one criticism of this chapter is that the authors fail to explore the various theories that have been proposed on how the actomyosin ATPase pathway enables the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to be converted to mechanical work. All in all, the chapters in this volume fit together to make a well integrated whole, resulting in a timely and comprehensive discussion of the mechanism of muscle contraction.
Received
Bloom, A. D. and James, L. S.. eds. (1981). The Fetus and the Newborn: Annual Review of Birth Defects, 1980. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Birth Defects: Original Article Series, 7 7. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. 286 pp. $36.00. Brewer, G. J., ed. (1981). The Red Cell: Fifth Ann Arbor Conference. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 55. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 840 pp. $78.00. Burnstock, G.. ed. (1981). Purinergic Receptors. Receptors and Recognition, Series B, 12. London: Chapman and Hall (distributed in New York by Methuen. Inc.). 368 pp. $49.95. J., Mortel. Hormonal
R. and Gautray, J. P., eds. (1981). The EndoImpacts. New York: Plenum Press. 167 pp.
di Fiore, hf. S. H. (1981). Atlas of Human Histology. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. 267 pp. $19.50.
Fifth
edition.
DuBow. M. S.. ed. (1981). Bacteriophage Assembly. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 64. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. 574 pp. $52.00. Goodman, S. I. and Markey. S. P. (1981). Diagnosis Acidemias by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Alan R. Liss, Inc. 148 pp. $28.00.
Mielke. C. H.. Jr., ed. (1981). Apheresis: Development, Applications, and Collection Procedures. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 65. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 180 pp. $18.00. Roe, D. A., ed. (1981). Drug-Nutrient Interactions, 1. New York: R. Liss, Inc. 86 pp. $70.00 (subscription, quarterly).
Alan
Rosen, 0. M. and Krebs. E. G.. eds. (1981). Protein Phosphorylation. Cold Spring Harbor Conferences on Cell Proliferation, 8. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. 1421 pp. (2-book set). $140.00. Schwemmler, W. and Schenk. H. E. A., eds. (1980). Endocytobiology: Endosymbiosis and Cell Biology-A Synthesis of Recent Research. New York: Walter de Gruyter. 1060 pp. $95.00. Spiller, G. A., ed. (1981). in Nutrition and Disease, $40.00.
Nutritional Pharmacology. Current Topics 4. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 266 pp.
Tapia, R. and Cotman. C. W.. eds. (1981). Regulatory Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission. New York: Plenum Press. 422 pp. $39.50. Engineering,
2. New York:
Aca-
Yamamura. H. I. and Enna. S. J., eds. (1981). Neurotransmitter Receptors, Part 2, Biogenic Amines. Receptors and Recognition, Series B, 70. London: Chapman and Hall (distributed in New York by Methuen, Inc.). 273 pp. $37.50.
Acosta Vidrio. E. and Galina, A.. eds. (1981). Advances in the Morphology of Cells and Tissues. Eleventh International Congress of Anatomy, Part B. New York: Alan R. Liss. Inc. 416 pp. $36.00.
de Brux. metrium: $29.50.
of in
Maids, J. A. and Person, R. J., eds. (1981). Pathophysiological Effects of Endotoxins at the Cellular Level. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 62. New York: Alan R. Lisa.. Inc. 204 pp. $32.00.
Williamson, R.. ed. (1981). Genetic demic Press. 204 pp. $24.00-paper.
Lois E. Greene Laboratory of Cell Biology National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Bethesda, Maryland 20205
Books
Loewus. F. A. and Ryan, C. A., eds. (1981). The Phytochemistry Cell Recognition and Cell Surface Interactions. Recent Advances Phytochemistry. 15. New York: Plenum Press. 277 pp. $37.50.
of Organic New York:
Lamy. J. and Lamy. J., eds. (1981). Invertebrate Oxygen-Binding Proteins. New York: Marcel Dekker. 864 pp. $85.00.