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The collagens; biochemistry and pathophysiology
Camp. Biochm.
Physiol.
Vol. 104A,No. 2, pp. 39~398, 1993
0300-9629/93$6.00+ 0.00 0 1993Pergamon Press Ltd
Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS
Chemistry
and
Biology
of
N-nitroao
W. LIJINSKY.464 pp. 1992. Cambridge Cambridge. E95, $175.
Compounda-By Press.
University
N-nitroso (N) compounds occur in smoked foods, fish and meat treated with nitrites. They are also found in tobacco and tobacco smoke, in the production of rubber tyres and leather, and in the synthetic cutting oiIs used on lathes and milling machines. Many N compounds are potent carcinogenic agents active in all species and causing tumours in animals at concentrations similar to those causing tumours in man. Nitrosamines are easily formed through the reactions of amines in the food and nitrosating agents. Nitros~imethylamine is present in bacon and was present in beer and whisky originating in the nitrogen oxides in the gas used to heat the malt. This book deals with the occurrence, formation and detection of N; chemical properties of N; metabolism and cellular interactions of N; toxicity of N; mutagenesis and cell transfo~ation by N; structure-activity relations in carcinogenesis by N, the importance of N in environmental cancers. Patterns
ia Protein
Sequence
W. R. TAYLOR. 262~~. DM 164.
and Strnetum--Edited by 1992. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Protein sequences are more than simple Markov chains in a 20-letter alphabet! Recurrent words and even phrases are being traced. One problem is that the active sites in tertiary structure may not be apparent until one knows the tertiary structure. However with the increase in knowledge of the structure and function of many proteins, computer analysis and matching of patterns is now a standard approach. This book deals with pattern, predictions and problems; protein sequence pattern matching; multiple sequence alignment and flexible pattern matching; Scrutineer, a program to explore and evaluate protein sequence patterns in databases; nucleotide binding proteins and helices; the helix-turn-helix motif and the Cro repressor; assignment of alpha helices; secondary structure prediction; secondary structure packing; supersecondary motifs; protein structure comparisons; sequence and 3D variations in families of homologous proteins; remote sequence similarity; extracellular proteins Laminin and Tenascin; sequence motif in tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors.
gene expression has led to great interest in the synthesis of specific OS. The
and Analogues;
a Practical
Edited by P. ECKSTEIN. 313~~. University Press, Oxford. $65.
Approacb-
1991. IRLjOxford
There have been major developments since the publication of Oligonucleotide (0) synthesis by M. Gait in 1984. The present volume describes modern machine aided methods of 0 synthesis; 0 synthesis; 2‘-o-methyl-0 synthesis and applications; phosphorothiate 0; synthesis of 0 phosphodithioates; oligo-2’deoxyribonucleoside methyl phosphonates; 0 containing modified bases; 0 with reporter groups attached to the 5’ t− site specific attachment oflabels to the DNA backbone; 0 for affinity chromato~m~hy~ 0 with reporter groups attached to the base; 0 attached to intercalated photoreactive and cleavage agents. The discovery that RNAs can have a catalytic action and that RNAprotein interaction plays an important role in the control of
Biuchemiatry
aud
Pa~physio~-By
1992. Springer-Verlag,
Berlin.
Collagen (C) is the most abundant protein in the body. In adult mice C made up 29% of the body wt at death Forty per cent of the collagen is in the skin. In human skin C constitutes 75% of the skin’s nitrogen content. In mice the musculoskeletal system had 52% whilst the viscera were only 3% of the total body C. Tendons were 85% C. Thirteen (XIII) different types of C have been described. This monograph deals with the structure, heterogeneity and distribution of C; biosynthesis; degradation; turnover and regulation of C metabolism; C in development, aging, and phylogeny; hormonal regulation of C metabolism; immunobiology; heredity disorders; C diseases; mu~ulo-skeletal system; cardiovascular system; respiratory system; liver; teeth and peridontal tissues; skin and wound healing; eye and ear; urinary and reproductive systems; nervous system; hematology; neoplasia; nutrition; effect of ionizing radiation on C; pha~acolo~~l control of C meta~Iism; C metabolism in clinical practice. A very thorough and interesting monograph. En&helm--Edited by G. M. RUBANYI. 277~~. Oxford University Press, New York. $70.
1992.
Endothelium derived contracting factor (EDCF) is a 21 amino acid peptide called endothelin (E). Three different E genes exist in the human genome encoding three different isoforms of E. This book deals with the discovery of E: EDCFs; molecular biology of E; structure activity relationship of E; E receptors and receptor subtypes; E synthesis and binding; cellular action of E on vascular smooth muscle; interactions between E and EDRF; E as a growth factor; E and the heart; renal and systematic hemod~amics of E; synthesis sites and receptors in the respiratory tract and CNS; E in essential hypertension, vasospastic angina, acute rnyocardial infarction and chronic renal failure; E and shock; E and homeostatic function; E and the control of the cardiovascular system. Plant
Oligonucleotides
Collageaq
E. J. KUCHARZ. 430~~. DM 218.
Kairomones
in Insect
Ecology
and
Control-By
R. L. METCALFand E. R. METCALF.168 pp. 1992. Chapman and Hall. New York and London. S35 U.S.A.. $43.95 Canada. The structures of more than 6000 alkaloids, 3000 terpinoids, thousands of phenyl propanoids, 1000 flavanoids, 500 quinones, 650 polyacetylenes, and 400 amino acids have been determined from plant materials. The evolution of flowering plants has been ciosely related to the evolution of the insects and many of these plant chemicals may (kairos = greek for opportunistic) play a role in limiting or controlling insect action and behaviour. This book deals with the chemical ecology of plant kairomones (K); volatile K as lures for insects; Japanese beetle and K, diabroticite rootworm beetles; fruit flies (Ceratitinae, Dacinae, Rhagoletis); plant produced synhormones and insect pollination. As shown in this book, a greater understanding of the 395
Physiol.
Vol. 104A,No. 2, pp. 39~398, 1993
0300-9629/93$6.00+ 0.00 0 1993Pergamon Press Ltd
Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS
Chemistry
and
Biology
of
N-nitroao
W. LIJINSKY.464 pp. 1992. Cambridge Cambridge. E95, $175.
Compounda-By Press.
University
N-nitroso (N) compounds occur in smoked foods, fish and meat treated with nitrites. They are also found in tobacco and tobacco smoke, in the production of rubber tyres and leather, and in the synthetic cutting oiIs used on lathes and milling machines. Many N compounds are potent carcinogenic agents active in all species and causing tumours in animals at concentrations similar to those causing tumours in man. Nitrosamines are easily formed through the reactions of amines in the food and nitrosating agents. Nitros~imethylamine is present in bacon and was present in beer and whisky originating in the nitrogen oxides in the gas used to heat the malt. This book deals with the occurrence, formation and detection of N; chemical properties of N; metabolism and cellular interactions of N; toxicity of N; mutagenesis and cell transfo~ation by N; structure-activity relations in carcinogenesis by N, the importance of N in environmental cancers. Patterns
ia Protein
Sequence
W. R. TAYLOR. 262~~. DM 164.
and Strnetum--Edited by 1992. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Protein sequences are more than simple Markov chains in a 20-letter alphabet! Recurrent words and even phrases are being traced. One problem is that the active sites in tertiary structure may not be apparent until one knows the tertiary structure. However with the increase in knowledge of the structure and function of many proteins, computer analysis and matching of patterns is now a standard approach. This book deals with pattern, predictions and problems; protein sequence pattern matching; multiple sequence alignment and flexible pattern matching; Scrutineer, a program to explore and evaluate protein sequence patterns in databases; nucleotide binding proteins and helices; the helix-turn-helix motif and the Cro repressor; assignment of alpha helices; secondary structure prediction; secondary structure packing; supersecondary motifs; protein structure comparisons; sequence and 3D variations in families of homologous proteins; remote sequence similarity; extracellular proteins Laminin and Tenascin; sequence motif in tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors.
gene expression has led to great interest in the synthesis of specific OS. The
and Analogues;
a Practical
Edited by P. ECKSTEIN. 313~~. University Press, Oxford. $65.
Approacb-
1991. IRLjOxford
There have been major developments since the publication of Oligonucleotide (0) synthesis by M. Gait in 1984. The present volume describes modern machine aided methods of 0 synthesis; 0 synthesis; 2‘-o-methyl-0 synthesis and applications; phosphorothiate 0; synthesis of 0 phosphodithioates; oligo-2’deoxyribonucleoside methyl phosphonates; 0 containing modified bases; 0 with reporter groups attached to the 5’ t− site specific attachment oflabels to the DNA backbone; 0 for affinity chromato~m~hy~ 0 with reporter groups attached to the base; 0 attached to intercalated photoreactive and cleavage agents. The discovery that RNAs can have a catalytic action and that RNAprotein interaction plays an important role in the control of
Biuchemiatry
aud
Pa~physio~-By
1992. Springer-Verlag,
Berlin.
Collagen (C) is the most abundant protein in the body. In adult mice C made up 29% of the body wt at death Forty per cent of the collagen is in the skin. In human skin C constitutes 75% of the skin’s nitrogen content. In mice the musculoskeletal system had 52% whilst the viscera were only 3% of the total body C. Tendons were 85% C. Thirteen (XIII) different types of C have been described. This monograph deals with the structure, heterogeneity and distribution of C; biosynthesis; degradation; turnover and regulation of C metabolism; C in development, aging, and phylogeny; hormonal regulation of C metabolism; immunobiology; heredity disorders; C diseases; mu~ulo-skeletal system; cardiovascular system; respiratory system; liver; teeth and peridontal tissues; skin and wound healing; eye and ear; urinary and reproductive systems; nervous system; hematology; neoplasia; nutrition; effect of ionizing radiation on C; pha~acolo~~l control of C meta~Iism; C metabolism in clinical practice. A very thorough and interesting monograph. En&helm--Edited by G. M. RUBANYI. 277~~. Oxford University Press, New York. $70.
1992.
Endothelium derived contracting factor (EDCF) is a 21 amino acid peptide called endothelin (E). Three different E genes exist in the human genome encoding three different isoforms of E. This book deals with the discovery of E: EDCFs; molecular biology of E; structure activity relationship of E; E receptors and receptor subtypes; E synthesis and binding; cellular action of E on vascular smooth muscle; interactions between E and EDRF; E as a growth factor; E and the heart; renal and systematic hemod~amics of E; synthesis sites and receptors in the respiratory tract and CNS; E in essential hypertension, vasospastic angina, acute rnyocardial infarction and chronic renal failure; E and shock; E and homeostatic function; E and the control of the cardiovascular system. Plant
Oligonucleotides
Collageaq
E. J. KUCHARZ. 430~~. DM 218.
Kairomones
in Insect
Ecology
and
Control-By
R. L. METCALFand E. R. METCALF.168 pp. 1992. Chapman and Hall. New York and London. S35 U.S.A.. $43.95 Canada. The structures of more than 6000 alkaloids, 3000 terpinoids, thousands of phenyl propanoids, 1000 flavanoids, 500 quinones, 650 polyacetylenes, and 400 amino acids have been determined from plant materials. The evolution of flowering plants has been ciosely related to the evolution of the insects and many of these plant chemicals may (kairos = greek for opportunistic) play a role in limiting or controlling insect action and behaviour. This book deals with the chemical ecology of plant kairomones (K); volatile K as lures for insects; Japanese beetle and K, diabroticite rootworm beetles; fruit flies (Ceratitinae, Dacinae, Rhagoletis); plant produced synhormones and insect pollination. As shown in this book, a greater understanding of the 395