- Email: [email protected]
The biochemistry of genetics
304
BOOK
REVIEWS
The chapter on the application of freeze-drying to electron microscopy brings together valuable data that have not been organized for the general reader. The utilization of the new techniques should enable researchers in this field to give us better photography than has been obtained by use of some of the former techniques. An excellent series of figures is given. The last chapter on the freezing and drying of tissues for morphological and histochemical studies is an excellent discussion of some of the fundamental factors involved in this field. The mathematical treatment should be helpful to the technologist and the engineer. The illustrations and figures are very good. This book brings together valuable fundamental material. It should be of especial interest to the biological investigator, but the food technologist and the biochemical engineer will find it useful as a source of basic information. CHARLES N. FREY, Scarsdale, New York
The Biochemistry of Genetics. By J. B. S. HALDANE, University of London, London, England. The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y., 1954.144 pp. Price $2.75. Chemical genetics has grown rapidly. Many of its methods are being made use of by biochemists, bacteriologists, virologists, and others who traditionally have given little heed to the specialized science of genetics. It is, therefore, important to have in a single volume a summary of the present position of this branch of biology. It would be difficult to find a person better qualified than J. B. S. Haldane to write such a volume. He has made important contributions to both genetics and biochemistry and he has had an important part in encouraging the union of the two. He has an unusual ability to write clearly and interestingly for the nonspecialist. He looks beyond the facts with perception and imagination, taking care to label speculation as such. The Biochemistry of Genetics is written primarily for chemists, the author says. He therefore takes pains to explain simple genetic principles. He does this with refreshing simplicity and skill. But one doesn’t have to be a chemist to read this book with profit and pleasure. In fact for the help of the non-chemist there is included an appendix of structural formulas of amino acids, vitamins, and other compounds. After a chapter on the basic facts of classical genetics, Haldane discusses antigens and hemoglobins as examples of possible primary gene products. He then deals with the genes of fungi that control the biosynthesis of amino acids, vitamins, and other compounds of significance to the organism. In this he has digested and summarized a large number of experimental results. Yeasts, bacteria, and viruses are treated rather sketchily in seven pages. Higher plants receive somewhat more attention. Haldane has long had a special interest in the chemical genetics of man and other higher animals. His chapter on this reviews fifteen or so diseases of man thought to result from genetically conditioned metabolic defects. In many of these the biochemistry of the defects is known or can be inferred with a reasonable probability of being correct. For many years the general problem of the relation of extranuclear elements of
BOOK
REVIEWS
305
the cell such as plastids, antigens, and enzymes to the genes of the nucleus has been a difficult and vexing one. Although a considerable amount of recently acquired information is discussed in Haldane’s section on cytoplasmic inherit’ance and adaptive enzyme formation, the reader is left with the feeling we are still :I long way from any general solution. What is a gene chemically, how does it reproduce, what happens when it undcrgoes mutation, how does it influence the development and functioning of an organism, and what is its relation to primitive forms of life and their evolution? Haldane doesn’t give final answers to these questions-no one can today. But hc does suggest possible answers in a way that is likely to inspire the reader to do some pretty serious thinking about them. This book is spotty in its coverage of the field. The author frankly admits it. He naturally is at his best when he is dealing with those topics in which he has the greatest interest. Furthermore, one must bear in mind that this book was largely written by 1952 even though it carries the publication date 1954. If it had been written after t,he Watson-Crick structure of desoxyribonucleic acid was proposed (Nature, 1953), the discussions of gene reproduction, gene mutation and gene action could have been altered in several significant respect,s. Haldane is a master of the art of employing devices designed to catch and hold the reader’s interest. That may be why Lysenko and his disciples are mentioned in a dozen different connections even though the author makes it abundantI> calear by such statements as “. if one is convinced by those (arguments] of Lysenko, as again I am not, .” that he does not accept all of t hc “_ dogmatic and more minatory pronouncements of Lysenko.” If the reviewer wanted to make an issue of the matter, which he dors not, 1~ would be tempted to point out that, while pleading by implication for dispassionate and objective consideration of Lysenko’s reported findings, Haldane fails to mention those of Moewus which are actually much more pertinent, to his thesis. Haldane has elsewhere made it. clear he has reservations about, the work of Moewus. But,, Professor Haldane, if we are going to be objective, shouldn’t we be consistent about it? And if one is going to practice objectivity, one should not say, unless one is sure of his facts-“It is, moreover, possible that more is known [about microbi:il genetics] than is published. Some of the workers concerned are paid by the Atomic Energy Commission, and such an affiliation at bxt imposes a delay on publication. at worst holds it up indefinitely.” The Biochemistry of Genetics is highly recommended, Haldaneisms and all, for what it is-a short and simple account of an important area of biology written b> a person eminently qualified to do it. It can be read with both ent,ertainment and reward by anyone seriously interested in what is happening in biology today. G. W. BEAIILE, Pasadena. California
Silage Fermentation. By. A. J. G. BARNETT, Drpartment of Biological Chenristry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen. Academic Press Inc., Sew York, S. J7.. 1954. x + 208 pp. Price $5.00. In this book the author has brought together a large amount of informat ion on
BOOK
REVIEWS
The chapter on the application of freeze-drying to electron microscopy brings together valuable data that have not been organized for the general reader. The utilization of the new techniques should enable researchers in this field to give us better photography than has been obtained by use of some of the former techniques. An excellent series of figures is given. The last chapter on the freezing and drying of tissues for morphological and histochemical studies is an excellent discussion of some of the fundamental factors involved in this field. The mathematical treatment should be helpful to the technologist and the engineer. The illustrations and figures are very good. This book brings together valuable fundamental material. It should be of especial interest to the biological investigator, but the food technologist and the biochemical engineer will find it useful as a source of basic information. CHARLES N. FREY, Scarsdale, New York
The Biochemistry of Genetics. By J. B. S. HALDANE, University of London, London, England. The Macmillan Co., New York, N. Y., 1954.144 pp. Price $2.75. Chemical genetics has grown rapidly. Many of its methods are being made use of by biochemists, bacteriologists, virologists, and others who traditionally have given little heed to the specialized science of genetics. It is, therefore, important to have in a single volume a summary of the present position of this branch of biology. It would be difficult to find a person better qualified than J. B. S. Haldane to write such a volume. He has made important contributions to both genetics and biochemistry and he has had an important part in encouraging the union of the two. He has an unusual ability to write clearly and interestingly for the nonspecialist. He looks beyond the facts with perception and imagination, taking care to label speculation as such. The Biochemistry of Genetics is written primarily for chemists, the author says. He therefore takes pains to explain simple genetic principles. He does this with refreshing simplicity and skill. But one doesn’t have to be a chemist to read this book with profit and pleasure. In fact for the help of the non-chemist there is included an appendix of structural formulas of amino acids, vitamins, and other compounds. After a chapter on the basic facts of classical genetics, Haldane discusses antigens and hemoglobins as examples of possible primary gene products. He then deals with the genes of fungi that control the biosynthesis of amino acids, vitamins, and other compounds of significance to the organism. In this he has digested and summarized a large number of experimental results. Yeasts, bacteria, and viruses are treated rather sketchily in seven pages. Higher plants receive somewhat more attention. Haldane has long had a special interest in the chemical genetics of man and other higher animals. His chapter on this reviews fifteen or so diseases of man thought to result from genetically conditioned metabolic defects. In many of these the biochemistry of the defects is known or can be inferred with a reasonable probability of being correct. For many years the general problem of the relation of extranuclear elements of
BOOK
REVIEWS
305
the cell such as plastids, antigens, and enzymes to the genes of the nucleus has been a difficult and vexing one. Although a considerable amount of recently acquired information is discussed in Haldane’s section on cytoplasmic inherit’ance and adaptive enzyme formation, the reader is left with the feeling we are still :I long way from any general solution. What is a gene chemically, how does it reproduce, what happens when it undcrgoes mutation, how does it influence the development and functioning of an organism, and what is its relation to primitive forms of life and their evolution? Haldane doesn’t give final answers to these questions-no one can today. But hc does suggest possible answers in a way that is likely to inspire the reader to do some pretty serious thinking about them. This book is spotty in its coverage of the field. The author frankly admits it. He naturally is at his best when he is dealing with those topics in which he has the greatest interest. Furthermore, one must bear in mind that this book was largely written by 1952 even though it carries the publication date 1954. If it had been written after t,he Watson-Crick structure of desoxyribonucleic acid was proposed (Nature, 1953), the discussions of gene reproduction, gene mutation and gene action could have been altered in several significant respect,s. Haldane is a master of the art of employing devices designed to catch and hold the reader’s interest. That may be why Lysenko and his disciples are mentioned in a dozen different connections even though the author makes it abundantI> calear by such statements as “. if one is convinced by those (arguments] of Lysenko, as again I am not, .” that he does not accept all of t hc “_ dogmatic and more minatory pronouncements of Lysenko.” If the reviewer wanted to make an issue of the matter, which he dors not, 1~ would be tempted to point out that, while pleading by implication for dispassionate and objective consideration of Lysenko’s reported findings, Haldane fails to mention those of Moewus which are actually much more pertinent, to his thesis. Haldane has elsewhere made it. clear he has reservations about, the work of Moewus. But,, Professor Haldane, if we are going to be objective, shouldn’t we be consistent about it? And if one is going to practice objectivity, one should not say, unless one is sure of his facts-“It is, moreover, possible that more is known [about microbi:il genetics] than is published. Some of the workers concerned are paid by the Atomic Energy Commission, and such an affiliation at bxt imposes a delay on publication. at worst holds it up indefinitely.” The Biochemistry of Genetics is highly recommended, Haldaneisms and all, for what it is-a short and simple account of an important area of biology written b> a person eminently qualified to do it. It can be read with both ent,ertainment and reward by anyone seriously interested in what is happening in biology today. G. W. BEAIILE, Pasadena. California
Silage Fermentation. By. A. J. G. BARNETT, Drpartment of Biological Chenristry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen. Academic Press Inc., Sew York, S. J7.. 1954. x + 208 pp. Price $5.00. In this book the author has brought together a large amount of informat ion on