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Methods in enzymology, volume 97, biomembranes, part K, membrane biogenesis: Assembly and targeting (Prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts)
ANALYTICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY
137,
538-539
(1984)
BOOK
REVIEWS
Methods in Enzymology, Volume 97, Biomembranes, Part K, Membrane Biogenesis: Assembly and Targeting (Prokaryotes, Mitochondria and Chloroplasts). Edited by SIDNEY FLEISCHER AND BECCA FLEISCHER, Academic Press, New York, 1983. 681 pp. $65.00.
detail some general methods for the study of the biosynthesis, processing, and insertion of membrane proteins. The article by John Walker and Nicholas Gay, “Analysis of Escherichia co/i ATP synthase subunits by DNA and protein sequencing,” is clearly written and full of detail, but I do not understand why it is in this volume. Its only connection to prokaryotic membranes is that the genes that are being sequenced code for a membrane component. A similar comment can be made regarding the otherwise excellent article on “Isolation of the bacterioopsin gene by colony hybridization,” by H. Vogelsang, W. Oertei, and D. Oesterhelt. Section II, Mitochondria. begins with a useful overview of protein import by Susan Gasser and Rick Hay. The articles that follow provide the interested investigator with a wealth of relevant techniques and useful information on topics such as the special problems associated with the “Preparation and use of antibodies againt insoluble membrane proteins, ” “Pulse labeling of yeast cells and spheroplasts,” “ Import of polypeptides into isolated yeast mitochondria,” and the “Isolation of mitochondrial porin,” to list a few. This section has what the section on prokaryotic membrane generally lacks--topical articles which focus on useful methods for the interested investigator. Section III, Chloroplasts, contains an article on the synthesis of membrane proteins by chloroplasts and another on the in vitro incorporation of cytoplasmically synthesized proteins into chloroplasts. These articles are well written and sufficiently detailed to be useful to the knowledgeable investigator. Two other articles deal with chloroplast ATPase structure and synthesis, and thylakoid polypeptide phosphorylation. This section also contains a detailed article “Cloning and physical mapping of maize plastid genes,” authored by 12 individuals. It is surprising to me that an article with so many authors can be focused so well. The methods for plant growth and isolation of DNA and RNA are detailed and should be useful for anyone interested in the maize genes. The last part of the article deals with the molecular cloning aspects of manipulating the purified nucleic acids. Techniques such as restriction, ligation, transformation, and subcloning are described. I would have preferred that the authors use these twenty pages to provide additional information or anecdotes on the nucleic acid preparation from maize chloroplasts. Overall, there is considerable useful information in the volume but it is eclectic.
Methods in Enzymology, Volumes 96-98, are parts J, K, and L of the Biomembrane series, which deal with the “Methodology to Study Membrane Biogenesis, Assembly, Targeting, and Recycling.” Volume 97 is divided into four sections. Section I, Prokaryotic membranes, is subdivided into three parts: (A) General Methods, 8 articles; (B) Outer Membrane, 4 articles; and (C) Inner Membrane. 10 articles. Section II contains 21 articles dealing with mitochondria. Section III contains 5 articles on chloroplasts. Section IV consists of a single article entitled “Membrane proteins: A summary of known structural information,” by David Nelson and Neal Robinson. This article consists of two tables, in which a great deal of physical information (molecular weight, purification, amino acid composition) on a variety of membrane proteins is referenced. Table I lists 30 “well-characterized membrane proteins.” Table II lists over 250 “purified membrane proteins.” Most of the 772 references are from 1979-1981 with less than 8% from 1982, the latest year referenced. This article is a valuable and convenient resource which deserves wider circulation. Since it will need to be updated, I would rather see it published in a journal. The General Methods portion of Section I begins with a well-written description by Beckwith and Silhavy on the genera1 approaches to “Genetic analysis of protein export in Escherichia co/i.” This is followed by 7 articles. each describing a specific technique, including isolation of mutants affected in protein processing, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for analysis of protein processing. purification of a leader peptidase from E. coli. preparation of free and membrane-bound polysomes from E. co/i, and the synthesis of proteins by these polysomes. The latter techniques are described in detail twice, once in article 6 and again in article 7. Most of the articles on prokaryotic outer and inner membranes suffer from being so specialized that the methods described would be of value only to one doing the identical assay. Noteworthy exceptions are the “Insertion of proteins into bacterial membranes” by Peter Model and Marjorie Russel and “Influence of Membrane Potential on the Insertion and Transport of Proteins in Bacterial Membrane” by R. C. Landick, C. J. Daniels, and D. L. Oxender. These chapters describe in splendid
0003-2697184 Copyngbt All
rights
0
1984
of reproduction
538
$3.00 by
JOHN
Academic in
Press. any
form
Inc. resewed
FOULDS
BIOCHEMISTRY
137,
538-539
(1984)
BOOK
REVIEWS
Methods in Enzymology, Volume 97, Biomembranes, Part K, Membrane Biogenesis: Assembly and Targeting (Prokaryotes, Mitochondria and Chloroplasts). Edited by SIDNEY FLEISCHER AND BECCA FLEISCHER, Academic Press, New York, 1983. 681 pp. $65.00.
detail some general methods for the study of the biosynthesis, processing, and insertion of membrane proteins. The article by John Walker and Nicholas Gay, “Analysis of Escherichia co/i ATP synthase subunits by DNA and protein sequencing,” is clearly written and full of detail, but I do not understand why it is in this volume. Its only connection to prokaryotic membranes is that the genes that are being sequenced code for a membrane component. A similar comment can be made regarding the otherwise excellent article on “Isolation of the bacterioopsin gene by colony hybridization,” by H. Vogelsang, W. Oertei, and D. Oesterhelt. Section II, Mitochondria. begins with a useful overview of protein import by Susan Gasser and Rick Hay. The articles that follow provide the interested investigator with a wealth of relevant techniques and useful information on topics such as the special problems associated with the “Preparation and use of antibodies againt insoluble membrane proteins, ” “Pulse labeling of yeast cells and spheroplasts,” “ Import of polypeptides into isolated yeast mitochondria,” and the “Isolation of mitochondrial porin,” to list a few. This section has what the section on prokaryotic membrane generally lacks--topical articles which focus on useful methods for the interested investigator. Section III, Chloroplasts, contains an article on the synthesis of membrane proteins by chloroplasts and another on the in vitro incorporation of cytoplasmically synthesized proteins into chloroplasts. These articles are well written and sufficiently detailed to be useful to the knowledgeable investigator. Two other articles deal with chloroplast ATPase structure and synthesis, and thylakoid polypeptide phosphorylation. This section also contains a detailed article “Cloning and physical mapping of maize plastid genes,” authored by 12 individuals. It is surprising to me that an article with so many authors can be focused so well. The methods for plant growth and isolation of DNA and RNA are detailed and should be useful for anyone interested in the maize genes. The last part of the article deals with the molecular cloning aspects of manipulating the purified nucleic acids. Techniques such as restriction, ligation, transformation, and subcloning are described. I would have preferred that the authors use these twenty pages to provide additional information or anecdotes on the nucleic acid preparation from maize chloroplasts. Overall, there is considerable useful information in the volume but it is eclectic.
Methods in Enzymology, Volumes 96-98, are parts J, K, and L of the Biomembrane series, which deal with the “Methodology to Study Membrane Biogenesis, Assembly, Targeting, and Recycling.” Volume 97 is divided into four sections. Section I, Prokaryotic membranes, is subdivided into three parts: (A) General Methods, 8 articles; (B) Outer Membrane, 4 articles; and (C) Inner Membrane. 10 articles. Section II contains 21 articles dealing with mitochondria. Section III contains 5 articles on chloroplasts. Section IV consists of a single article entitled “Membrane proteins: A summary of known structural information,” by David Nelson and Neal Robinson. This article consists of two tables, in which a great deal of physical information (molecular weight, purification, amino acid composition) on a variety of membrane proteins is referenced. Table I lists 30 “well-characterized membrane proteins.” Table II lists over 250 “purified membrane proteins.” Most of the 772 references are from 1979-1981 with less than 8% from 1982, the latest year referenced. This article is a valuable and convenient resource which deserves wider circulation. Since it will need to be updated, I would rather see it published in a journal. The General Methods portion of Section I begins with a well-written description by Beckwith and Silhavy on the genera1 approaches to “Genetic analysis of protein export in Escherichia co/i.” This is followed by 7 articles. each describing a specific technique, including isolation of mutants affected in protein processing, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for analysis of protein processing. purification of a leader peptidase from E. coli. preparation of free and membrane-bound polysomes from E. co/i, and the synthesis of proteins by these polysomes. The latter techniques are described in detail twice, once in article 6 and again in article 7. Most of the articles on prokaryotic outer and inner membranes suffer from being so specialized that the methods described would be of value only to one doing the identical assay. Noteworthy exceptions are the “Insertion of proteins into bacterial membranes” by Peter Model and Marjorie Russel and “Influence of Membrane Potential on the Insertion and Transport of Proteins in Bacterial Membrane” by R. C. Landick, C. J. Daniels, and D. L. Oxender. These chapters describe in splendid
0003-2697184 Copyngbt All
rights
0
1984
of reproduction
538
$3.00 by
JOHN
Academic in
Press. any
form
Inc. resewed
FOULDS