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The metabolism of protein constituents in the mammalian body
VOL. 11 (1953)
BOOK REVIEWS
455
Lehrbuch der Physiologischen Chemic von S. EDLBACHER UND F.
LEUTHARDT, Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin. IO. Auflage 1952. I. Hitlfte, X X + 415 p. 38 illustrations. Price D.M. 22.60.
T h i s is a n e w edition of t h e well-known book b y t h e late Professor EDLBACHER, c o m p l e t e l y revised b y Professor LEUTHARDT from Zfirich. I n t h e first half of this book, w i t h w h i c h t h e review is dealing, s o m e i o o p a g e s deal w i t h t h e c h e m i s t r y of s u b s t a n c e s in our food a n d in t h e body. A b o u t 50 p a g e s are used for a t h o r o u g h review of t h e p h y s i c o - c h e m i c a l basis of b i o c h e m i s t r y . T h e o t h e r 250 p a g e s are d e d i c a t e d to m e t a b o l i s m . According to t h e preface, t h e book w a s p r i m a r i l y i n t e n d e d for medical s t u d e n t s . However, t h e reviewer was s o m e w h a t d i s a p p o i n t e d in his hope t h a t t h i s book m i g h t b r i n g a b o u t t h e m u c h - w a n t e d t e x t b o o k of b i o c h e m i s t r y w h i c h gives t h e r i g h t a p p r o a c h for this c a t e g o r y of s t u d e n t s . P r o b a b l y t h e m o s t serious h a n d i c a p for t h e a u t h o r h a s been t h a t he could n o t compile t h e book c o m p l e t e l y himself, b u t h a d to work w i t h t h e a l r e a d y existing t e x t a n d therefore was m o r e or less b o u n d b y it. T h i s t e x t p r e s e n t s a, n o t a l w a y s logical, c h a p t e r s e q u e n c e t h a t is devoid of i n t e r c h a p t e r relationships a n d s u m m a r i e s . References to o t h e r p a r t s of t h e book to stress i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n s are often b a d l y lacking, as for e x a m p l e b e t w e e n v i t a m i n s a n d m e t a b o l i s m . To specify a few objections : for s t u d e n t s u n f a m i l i a r w i t h b i o c h e m i s t r y , it w o u l d h a v e been m u c h m o r e useful to h a n d l e first t h e v i t a m i n s a n d h o r m o n e s (which are being p u b l i s h e d in t h e second half of t h e book) a n d only t h e n talk a b o u t all t h o s e reactions in w h i c h t h e s e s u b s t a n c e s participate. I n its p r e s e n t f o r m t h e u n i n i t i a t e d reader will n o t e v e n notice in t h e c h a p t e r on biological o x i d a t i o n s t h a t t h e essential p a r t of m a n y c o e n z y m e s are v i t a m i n s . I t no longer s e e m s useful to a d h e r e to t h e old s c h e m e of splitting up c a r b o h y d r a t e m e t a b o l i s m in separate, distinct c h a p t e r s : glycolysis, glycogen b r e a k d o w n a n d o x i d a t i v e b r e a k d o w n . T h e c h a p t e r s on t h e r e g u l a t i o n s of blood glucose, d i a b e t e s mellitus a n d t h e m e t a b o l i s m of t u m o u r s are p u t u n h a p p i l y b e t w e e n c a r b o h y d r a t e a n d p r o t e i n m e t a b o l i s m . T h e y m i g h t h a v e b e e n more at h o m e in t h e c h a p t e r s on blood a n d on chemical r e g u l a t i o n s of physiological functions. O n page 368 0. t h e ornitliine cycle is e x t e n s i v e l y h a n d l e d , b u t t h e a r g i n a s e r e a c t i o n is n o t m e n t i o n e d ; n e i t h e r is t h e r e a reference to page 172 w h e r e arginase occupies a whole page. N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e s e objections, this book c o n t a i n s a w e a l t h of u p - t o - d a t e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d therefore s h o u l d be a v a l u a b l e a d d i t i o n to t h e t e x t b o o k s of b i o c h e m i s t r y in t h e G e r m a n language. L. N. WENT (Djakarta)
The Metabolism o/Protein Constituents in the Mammalian Body, S. J. BACH,Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1952. 272 pages, price 4 ° s. As t h e a u t h o r r e m a r k s in his Preface, since a b o u t 193 ° no c o m p r e h e n s i v e treatise of a m i n o acid m e t a b o l i s m h a s been published. I n t h e reviewer's opinion h e h a s therefore rendered b i o c h e m i s t s a g r e a t service w i t h his effort to compile a n d discuss t h e a d v a n c e in t h i s field since t h e s e times, for t h e progress h a s b e e n e n o r m o u s . I n t h i s book alanine, glycine, serine, threonine, valine, leucine, isoleueine, c y s t e i n e (cystine) a n d m e t h i o n i n e only h a v e been treated, while solely t h e m e t a b o l i s m in t h e m a m m a l i a n b o d y h a s been considered, a n d y e t t h e n u m b e r of references a l r e a d y a m o u n t s to a b o u t 12oo. T h e r e m a i n i n g a m i n o acids will be dealt w i t h in a n o t h e r v o l u m e . To give a n e x a m p l e of t h e b r o a d scope of t h e field covered it m a y be p o i n t e d o u t t h a t in t h e c h a p t e r on t h e s u l p h u r - b e a r i n g a m i n o acids also g l u t a t h i o n e (function, d e g r a d a t i o n , synthesis), t h e S H - e n z y m e s , c y s t i n u r i a , t r a n s m e t h y l a t i o n a n d lipotropic factors are t r e a t e d in full. Dr. BAc~I m a y be congratfilated w i t h t h e w a y he h a s e x e c u t e d t h e f o r m i d a b l e t a s k w h i c h he h a s i m p o s e d u p o n himself. H i s b o o k will c e r t a i n l y be a g r e a t help to research workers in m a n y fields, as well as to t h o s e w h o require a lucid a c c o u n t of t h e c o m p l i c a t e d p r o b l e m s of a m i n o acid m e t a b o l i s m in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e i r duties of t e a c h i n g . H. G. K. WESTEm3RINK (Utrecht)
BOOK REVIEWS
455
Lehrbuch der Physiologischen Chemic von S. EDLBACHER UND F.
LEUTHARDT, Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin. IO. Auflage 1952. I. Hitlfte, X X + 415 p. 38 illustrations. Price D.M. 22.60.
T h i s is a n e w edition of t h e well-known book b y t h e late Professor EDLBACHER, c o m p l e t e l y revised b y Professor LEUTHARDT from Zfirich. I n t h e first half of this book, w i t h w h i c h t h e review is dealing, s o m e i o o p a g e s deal w i t h t h e c h e m i s t r y of s u b s t a n c e s in our food a n d in t h e body. A b o u t 50 p a g e s are used for a t h o r o u g h review of t h e p h y s i c o - c h e m i c a l basis of b i o c h e m i s t r y . T h e o t h e r 250 p a g e s are d e d i c a t e d to m e t a b o l i s m . According to t h e preface, t h e book w a s p r i m a r i l y i n t e n d e d for medical s t u d e n t s . However, t h e reviewer was s o m e w h a t d i s a p p o i n t e d in his hope t h a t t h i s book m i g h t b r i n g a b o u t t h e m u c h - w a n t e d t e x t b o o k of b i o c h e m i s t r y w h i c h gives t h e r i g h t a p p r o a c h for this c a t e g o r y of s t u d e n t s . P r o b a b l y t h e m o s t serious h a n d i c a p for t h e a u t h o r h a s been t h a t he could n o t compile t h e book c o m p l e t e l y himself, b u t h a d to work w i t h t h e a l r e a d y existing t e x t a n d therefore was m o r e or less b o u n d b y it. T h i s t e x t p r e s e n t s a, n o t a l w a y s logical, c h a p t e r s e q u e n c e t h a t is devoid of i n t e r c h a p t e r relationships a n d s u m m a r i e s . References to o t h e r p a r t s of t h e book to stress i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n s are often b a d l y lacking, as for e x a m p l e b e t w e e n v i t a m i n s a n d m e t a b o l i s m . To specify a few objections : for s t u d e n t s u n f a m i l i a r w i t h b i o c h e m i s t r y , it w o u l d h a v e been m u c h m o r e useful to h a n d l e first t h e v i t a m i n s a n d h o r m o n e s (which are being p u b l i s h e d in t h e second half of t h e book) a n d only t h e n talk a b o u t all t h o s e reactions in w h i c h t h e s e s u b s t a n c e s participate. I n its p r e s e n t f o r m t h e u n i n i t i a t e d reader will n o t e v e n notice in t h e c h a p t e r on biological o x i d a t i o n s t h a t t h e essential p a r t of m a n y c o e n z y m e s are v i t a m i n s . I t no longer s e e m s useful to a d h e r e to t h e old s c h e m e of splitting up c a r b o h y d r a t e m e t a b o l i s m in separate, distinct c h a p t e r s : glycolysis, glycogen b r e a k d o w n a n d o x i d a t i v e b r e a k d o w n . T h e c h a p t e r s on t h e r e g u l a t i o n s of blood glucose, d i a b e t e s mellitus a n d t h e m e t a b o l i s m of t u m o u r s are p u t u n h a p p i l y b e t w e e n c a r b o h y d r a t e a n d p r o t e i n m e t a b o l i s m . T h e y m i g h t h a v e b e e n more at h o m e in t h e c h a p t e r s on blood a n d on chemical r e g u l a t i o n s of physiological functions. O n page 368 0. t h e ornitliine cycle is e x t e n s i v e l y h a n d l e d , b u t t h e a r g i n a s e r e a c t i o n is n o t m e n t i o n e d ; n e i t h e r is t h e r e a reference to page 172 w h e r e arginase occupies a whole page. N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e s e objections, this book c o n t a i n s a w e a l t h of u p - t o - d a t e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d therefore s h o u l d be a v a l u a b l e a d d i t i o n to t h e t e x t b o o k s of b i o c h e m i s t r y in t h e G e r m a n language. L. N. WENT (Djakarta)
The Metabolism o/Protein Constituents in the Mammalian Body, S. J. BACH,Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1952. 272 pages, price 4 ° s. As t h e a u t h o r r e m a r k s in his Preface, since a b o u t 193 ° no c o m p r e h e n s i v e treatise of a m i n o acid m e t a b o l i s m h a s been published. I n t h e reviewer's opinion h e h a s therefore rendered b i o c h e m i s t s a g r e a t service w i t h his effort to compile a n d discuss t h e a d v a n c e in t h i s field since t h e s e times, for t h e progress h a s b e e n e n o r m o u s . I n t h i s book alanine, glycine, serine, threonine, valine, leucine, isoleueine, c y s t e i n e (cystine) a n d m e t h i o n i n e only h a v e been treated, while solely t h e m e t a b o l i s m in t h e m a m m a l i a n b o d y h a s been considered, a n d y e t t h e n u m b e r of references a l r e a d y a m o u n t s to a b o u t 12oo. T h e r e m a i n i n g a m i n o acids will be dealt w i t h in a n o t h e r v o l u m e . To give a n e x a m p l e of t h e b r o a d scope of t h e field covered it m a y be p o i n t e d o u t t h a t in t h e c h a p t e r on t h e s u l p h u r - b e a r i n g a m i n o acids also g l u t a t h i o n e (function, d e g r a d a t i o n , synthesis), t h e S H - e n z y m e s , c y s t i n u r i a , t r a n s m e t h y l a t i o n a n d lipotropic factors are t r e a t e d in full. Dr. BAc~I m a y be congratfilated w i t h t h e w a y he h a s e x e c u t e d t h e f o r m i d a b l e t a s k w h i c h he h a s i m p o s e d u p o n himself. H i s b o o k will c e r t a i n l y be a g r e a t help to research workers in m a n y fields, as well as to t h o s e w h o require a lucid a c c o u n t of t h e c o m p l i c a t e d p r o b l e m s of a m i n o acid m e t a b o l i s m in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e i r duties of t e a c h i n g . H. G. K. WESTEm3RINK (Utrecht)