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Monosaccharides: Their chemistry and their roles in natural products
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 91-92, 1996
Pergamon
Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0305-1978/96 $15.00+0.00
Book Reviews (Books for review should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief)
Monosaccharides: Their Chemistry and Their Roles in Natural Products. Edited by Peter M. Collins and Robert J. Ferrier. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 1995. pp. 574+xix. ISBN 0-471-95343-1. £22.50. I have the impression that sugar chemistry is not something that is dealt with adequately in many studies on natural products. It is quite common to see detailed and unambiguous identification of the aglycone portion of a glycoside with the sugar component being dismissed as glucose, or galactose, or whatever, without adequate proof being obtained. I am therefore particularly pleased to be able to record the publication of this volume which is a comprehensive and clearly written treatise on the basic chemistry of monosaccharides at a price which can be afforded by all. There are seven chapters and five appendices. The first chapter, entitled 'Preliminary matters--structures, shapes and sources; is an excellent introduction both for undergraduates and for postgraduates who need to brush up their basic knowledge. This is followed by three chapters that deal with reactions and their products, focusing on the anomeric centre, non-anomeric carbon atoms and the hydroxyl groups, respectively. There then follow two chapters dealing with the synthesis of oligosaccharides and the synthetic involvement of monosaccharides in the formation of essentially non-carbohydrate products. The final chapter (60 pp.) is a brief overview of natural products related to and containing monosaccharides. Obviously this is not going to give information on all glycosides but, as for Chapter 2, it is a very value primer on the types of glycosidic structures that occur in nature. There are five appendices that deal with major literature sources on carbohydrate chemistry, nomenclature, magnetic resonance data, polarimetry and modified sugars (mainly from microbial sources). There is an extensive index. Structures are well produced throughout. This is a very valuable addition to the library and can be thoroughly recommended. PETER G. WATERMAN Editor-in-Chief
DNA Cloning 2. Expression Systems. Edited by D. M. Glover and B. D. Haynes, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1995. pp. 255 + iix. ISBN 0-19-963478-5. £25.00 This book consists of a collection of methods used in the expression of cloned genes in heterologous systems i.e. bacteria, yeast and insect cells. Three chapters are concerned with the expression of proteins in E. col~ which cover (a) screening of expression libraries in ;L phage, (b) expression of foreign genes in E. coil by different types of expression vector, and (c) the use of various affinity tags to isolate functional protein from E. coli over-expressing that protein in either soluble form or from inclusion bodies. Two chapters are concerned with yeast and cover (a) a compre-
Pergamon
Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0305-1978/96 $15.00+0.00
Book Reviews (Books for review should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief)
Monosaccharides: Their Chemistry and Their Roles in Natural Products. Edited by Peter M. Collins and Robert J. Ferrier. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 1995. pp. 574+xix. ISBN 0-471-95343-1. £22.50. I have the impression that sugar chemistry is not something that is dealt with adequately in many studies on natural products. It is quite common to see detailed and unambiguous identification of the aglycone portion of a glycoside with the sugar component being dismissed as glucose, or galactose, or whatever, without adequate proof being obtained. I am therefore particularly pleased to be able to record the publication of this volume which is a comprehensive and clearly written treatise on the basic chemistry of monosaccharides at a price which can be afforded by all. There are seven chapters and five appendices. The first chapter, entitled 'Preliminary matters--structures, shapes and sources; is an excellent introduction both for undergraduates and for postgraduates who need to brush up their basic knowledge. This is followed by three chapters that deal with reactions and their products, focusing on the anomeric centre, non-anomeric carbon atoms and the hydroxyl groups, respectively. There then follow two chapters dealing with the synthesis of oligosaccharides and the synthetic involvement of monosaccharides in the formation of essentially non-carbohydrate products. The final chapter (60 pp.) is a brief overview of natural products related to and containing monosaccharides. Obviously this is not going to give information on all glycosides but, as for Chapter 2, it is a very value primer on the types of glycosidic structures that occur in nature. There are five appendices that deal with major literature sources on carbohydrate chemistry, nomenclature, magnetic resonance data, polarimetry and modified sugars (mainly from microbial sources). There is an extensive index. Structures are well produced throughout. This is a very valuable addition to the library and can be thoroughly recommended. PETER G. WATERMAN Editor-in-Chief
DNA Cloning 2. Expression Systems. Edited by D. M. Glover and B. D. Haynes, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1995. pp. 255 + iix. ISBN 0-19-963478-5. £25.00 This book consists of a collection of methods used in the expression of cloned genes in heterologous systems i.e. bacteria, yeast and insect cells. Three chapters are concerned with the expression of proteins in E. col~ which cover (a) screening of expression libraries in ;L phage, (b) expression of foreign genes in E. coil by different types of expression vector, and (c) the use of various affinity tags to isolate functional protein from E. coli over-expressing that protein in either soluble form or from inclusion bodies. Two chapters are concerned with yeast and cover (a) a compre-