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The acetone-butanol fermentation and related topics, 1980–1983
143
Trendsin Biotechnology, VoL 2, No. 5, 1984
Limited view of acetone-butanol fermentations THE ACETONE-BUTANOL FERMENTATION AND RELATED TOPICS, 1980-1983 edited by J. D. Bu'lock and A. J. Bu'lock, Science and Technology Letters 1983. (iii + 139 pages) I S B N 0 946682 OO9 The increases in oil prices and developments in biotechnology during the last decade have resulted in a re-evaluation of fermentation pro-
cesses for the production of chemical feedstocks. The production of acetone and butanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum is one of the fermentations which has received an increasing amount of attention over the last four years. The Acetone-Butanol Fermentation and Related Topics 1980-1983 is a collection of 22 papers covering various aspects of the acetone-butanol fermentation which were published by the journal Biotechnology Letters between 1980 and 1983.
Wandering in a maze - vaccine development MODERN APPROACHESTO VACCINES; B surface antigen (HBsAg). Rabies, MOLECULARAND CHEMICALBASIS herpes simplex (HSV) and influenza OF VIRUSVIRULENCEAND viruses also feature. IMMUNOGENICITY Part three deals with the 'cloning and edited by Robert M. Chanock and expression of viral genes'. Eight papers Richard A. Lerner, Cold Spring Harbor cover the synthesis of HBsAg and HSV Laboratory, 1984. $52.00 ($62.40 outside proteins in Escherichia coli, yeast and USA) (xxv+457 pages), 1SBN 0 87969 mammalian cells. The ubiquitous E. coli is prominent in the remaining con1654 tributions, in conjunction with inIn September 1983 the first meeting on fluenza, polio, feline panleukopenia, Modern Approaches to Vaccines was rabies and two corona viruses. Howheld in the tranquil surroundings of ever, two papers on influenza virus Cold Spring Harbor. The sixty-six indicate that eukaryotic systems are papers presented are the substance of more suitable for the expression of this book. The ambitious programme stable glycoproteins of the correct was undoubtedly a success and the structure. Some authors have suggested that question arises whether this book does bacteria might be used for virus vaccine justice to the meeting. The first section deals with recent purposes in vivo as well as in vitro. The developments in the field of 'virus proposal is that a harmless enterostructures and function' in the context bacterium would function as a vector of of antigenic sites. 'Chemistry of virus the gene of a viral immunogen, proneutralisation' is the next topic, in ducing the latter during transient repliwhich the production and antigenic cation in the alimentary tract and properties of synthetic peptides feature stimulating mucosal immunity. The prominently. It is here that two of the feasibility of this approach might be few papers not directly concerned with increased if the immunogens were viruses are found. Parker et al. describe expressed at the bacterial surface. In a photoaffinity approach to the produc- this context the paper of Bougestion of synthetic peptide conjugates Bocquet et al., in which the E. coli while Sela et al. have synthesized outer-membrane protein maltoportin cholera toxin peptides. Four papers, (Lam B protein) has been used as a plus three in section one, concern transporter, is pertinent. The potential picornaviruses. Discussion of hepatitis of viruses themselves to act as vectors of B virus had a major impact at the meet- foreign immunogens has already been ing and is reflected in the book; three achieved. Papers from the laboratories papers deal with synthetic peptides of Paoletti and Moss are major contricorresponding to sequences of hepatitis butions to section four on 'attenuation
Apart from a very short foreword (2 pages), a brief very general review of the history and commercial proposition of the acetone and butanol fermentation (31/2 pages) and a few postscripts, there is nothing new in this book. There is some merit and convenience in having these papers placed in a single volume but the value of the book is limited. Although the papers cover a variety of aspects of the acetone-butanol fermentation they do not represent a full coverage of the recent literature and developments in this field. D. R. WOODS Microbiology Dept., University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa. of virulence'. These authors briefly describe the construction of recombinant vaccinia viruses which express the influenza virus haemagglutinin and the HBsAg and glycoprotein D of HSV, both in vitro and in vivo. Protective immune responses were obtained with the haemagglutinin and HSV proteins. In section four, Kilbourne's paper on infection-permissive vaccines, reminds us that viral antigens which do not stimulate the formation of neutralizing antibody, as detected in vitro, may still have a protective role in vivo. Roizman et al. discuss the generation of stable HSV mutants by deletions, insertions and gene rearrangements. Monoclonal antibodies have been used to select attenuated reovirus, rabies virus and rotaviruses. Gene reassortment or recombination is discussed in relation to reovirus, rotavirus, influenza virus and poliovirus. The final section describes the 'enhancement of antigenicity'. Morein et aL describe an immunostimulating complex (ISCOM) made using viral proteins and a glycoside. The ISCOM is very immunogenic and apparently gives practically no side effects. Hopp has conjugated peptides of HBsAg to a dipalmityl lysyl moiety as a carrier, while Sanderson has covalently linked major histocompatibility complex molecules with antigenic epitopes to give augmented immunogenicity. The remaining contributions include: muramyl peptides and diphtheria toxoid; the efficacy of protein micelles, immunosomes and virosomes for presenting immunogens; and priming of
Trendsin Biotechnology, VoL 2, No. 5, 1984
Limited view of acetone-butanol fermentations THE ACETONE-BUTANOL FERMENTATION AND RELATED TOPICS, 1980-1983 edited by J. D. Bu'lock and A. J. Bu'lock, Science and Technology Letters 1983. (iii + 139 pages) I S B N 0 946682 OO9 The increases in oil prices and developments in biotechnology during the last decade have resulted in a re-evaluation of fermentation pro-
cesses for the production of chemical feedstocks. The production of acetone and butanol by Clostridium acetobutylicum is one of the fermentations which has received an increasing amount of attention over the last four years. The Acetone-Butanol Fermentation and Related Topics 1980-1983 is a collection of 22 papers covering various aspects of the acetone-butanol fermentation which were published by the journal Biotechnology Letters between 1980 and 1983.
Wandering in a maze - vaccine development MODERN APPROACHESTO VACCINES; B surface antigen (HBsAg). Rabies, MOLECULARAND CHEMICALBASIS herpes simplex (HSV) and influenza OF VIRUSVIRULENCEAND viruses also feature. IMMUNOGENICITY Part three deals with the 'cloning and edited by Robert M. Chanock and expression of viral genes'. Eight papers Richard A. Lerner, Cold Spring Harbor cover the synthesis of HBsAg and HSV Laboratory, 1984. $52.00 ($62.40 outside proteins in Escherichia coli, yeast and USA) (xxv+457 pages), 1SBN 0 87969 mammalian cells. The ubiquitous E. coli is prominent in the remaining con1654 tributions, in conjunction with inIn September 1983 the first meeting on fluenza, polio, feline panleukopenia, Modern Approaches to Vaccines was rabies and two corona viruses. Howheld in the tranquil surroundings of ever, two papers on influenza virus Cold Spring Harbor. The sixty-six indicate that eukaryotic systems are papers presented are the substance of more suitable for the expression of this book. The ambitious programme stable glycoproteins of the correct was undoubtedly a success and the structure. Some authors have suggested that question arises whether this book does bacteria might be used for virus vaccine justice to the meeting. The first section deals with recent purposes in vivo as well as in vitro. The developments in the field of 'virus proposal is that a harmless enterostructures and function' in the context bacterium would function as a vector of of antigenic sites. 'Chemistry of virus the gene of a viral immunogen, proneutralisation' is the next topic, in ducing the latter during transient repliwhich the production and antigenic cation in the alimentary tract and properties of synthetic peptides feature stimulating mucosal immunity. The prominently. It is here that two of the feasibility of this approach might be few papers not directly concerned with increased if the immunogens were viruses are found. Parker et al. describe expressed at the bacterial surface. In a photoaffinity approach to the produc- this context the paper of Bougestion of synthetic peptide conjugates Bocquet et al., in which the E. coli while Sela et al. have synthesized outer-membrane protein maltoportin cholera toxin peptides. Four papers, (Lam B protein) has been used as a plus three in section one, concern transporter, is pertinent. The potential picornaviruses. Discussion of hepatitis of viruses themselves to act as vectors of B virus had a major impact at the meet- foreign immunogens has already been ing and is reflected in the book; three achieved. Papers from the laboratories papers deal with synthetic peptides of Paoletti and Moss are major contricorresponding to sequences of hepatitis butions to section four on 'attenuation
Apart from a very short foreword (2 pages), a brief very general review of the history and commercial proposition of the acetone and butanol fermentation (31/2 pages) and a few postscripts, there is nothing new in this book. There is some merit and convenience in having these papers placed in a single volume but the value of the book is limited. Although the papers cover a variety of aspects of the acetone-butanol fermentation they do not represent a full coverage of the recent literature and developments in this field. D. R. WOODS Microbiology Dept., University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa. of virulence'. These authors briefly describe the construction of recombinant vaccinia viruses which express the influenza virus haemagglutinin and the HBsAg and glycoprotein D of HSV, both in vitro and in vivo. Protective immune responses were obtained with the haemagglutinin and HSV proteins. In section four, Kilbourne's paper on infection-permissive vaccines, reminds us that viral antigens which do not stimulate the formation of neutralizing antibody, as detected in vitro, may still have a protective role in vivo. Roizman et al. discuss the generation of stable HSV mutants by deletions, insertions and gene rearrangements. Monoclonal antibodies have been used to select attenuated reovirus, rabies virus and rotaviruses. Gene reassortment or recombination is discussed in relation to reovirus, rotavirus, influenza virus and poliovirus. The final section describes the 'enhancement of antigenicity'. Morein et aL describe an immunostimulating complex (ISCOM) made using viral proteins and a glycoside. The ISCOM is very immunogenic and apparently gives practically no side effects. Hopp has conjugated peptides of HBsAg to a dipalmityl lysyl moiety as a carrier, while Sanderson has covalently linked major histocompatibility complex molecules with antigenic epitopes to give augmented immunogenicity. The remaining contributions include: muramyl peptides and diphtheria toxoid; the efficacy of protein micelles, immunosomes and virosomes for presenting immunogens; and priming of