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Thermus species
ISSN 0 3 0 6 - 3 6 2 3 / 9 6 $15.00 + .00 SSDI 0 3 0 6 - 3 6 2 3 ( 9 5 ) 0 2 1 0 2 - 7 A l l rights reserved
G e n . P h a r m a c . Vol. 27, No. 6, pp. 1 0 7 7 - 1 0 7 8 , 1996 C o p y r i g h t © 1996 Elsevier S c i e n c e Inc. Printed in t h e U S A .
ELSEVIER
BOOK REVIEWS
How to write and publish a scientific paper. 4th Edition R. A. Day 223 pp. 1995. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. HB £27.95 PB £12.95 The majority of papers sent to be published are either sent back to the author fi~r additions, alterations and corrections, or they are rejected. This book should help authors in their struggles. It deals with scientific writing; how to prepare a title, abstract, introduction, material and methods, results, discussion, acknowledgments, references, tables, illustrations, keyboard; where and how to submit the MS; the review process; how to deal with editors; proofs; reprints; how to write a review paper, a conference report, a book review, a thesis; how to present a paper orally; how to prepare a poster; ethics, rights and permissions; use and misuse of English; aw)iding jargon; abbreviations; summary; selected journal title abbreviations; common errors in style and spelling; words and expression to aw)id; St; glossary of technical terms. All writers, new and old, will learn something to their advantage from this book.
Benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists. Edited by M. Sarter, D. J. Nutt and R. G. Lister 304 pp. 1995. Wiley-Liss. New York. £73 The BZDs are modulatory in affecting the ability of G A B A to open the GABAA receptor that gates the chloride ions. Positive modulators enhance G A B A action and are agonists. Negative modulators reduce G A B A action and are inverse agonists (IA). Antagonists block the action of both agonists and IA. The action of GABA~ is inhibitory and, so, BZD agonists are sedative and anxiolytic. BZD IA are axiogenic, procognitive and convulsant. This book deals with IA; model of the GABAA receptor; sensitization and tolerance; BZD and alcohol; IA and schedule-controlled behavior; IA and ingestive behavior; fear and anxiety induced by BZD IA; cognition enhancement; psychopharmacology; IA as therapeutic drugs. Given the extensive use of BZDs, the IA effects are significant and need study and greater recognition.
Enzymology and molecular biology of carbonyl metabolism. Vol 5. Edited by H. Weiner, R. S. Holmes and B. Wermuth 442 pp. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $120 This is the proceedings of a satellite symposium of the International Society fi~r Biomedical Research on Alcoholism held in New Zealand in 1994. The accent was on the biochemistry of alcohol metabolism with the main sections being on aldehyde dehydrogenase, aldo-keto reductase, and the alcohol dehydrogenase system. The variations of the different enzymes in man and animals are described, together with their site-directed mutagenesis. Many of the enzymes have been sequenced and their structure known. The genetic control of synthesis and breakdown has also been studied. It is possible that a greater understanding of the molecular biology will give insight into alcoholism.
Signal transduction protocols, Edited by D. A. Kendall and S. J. Hill 305 pp. 1995. Humana Press. New Jersey Methods in Molecular Biology Vol 41 This is a practical manual describing the methods used in studying receptormediated cell signaling with special attention to the G-protein linked superfamily. It deals with signal transduction processes at different levels; identification and localization of recognition sites by radioligand binding and autoradiography; assessment of G-protein function; intracellular messenger generating enzymes and catabolic enzymes; measurement of the kinases that mediate many of the actions of G-protein coupled receptors. If you are work-
ing on 2nd messengers and G-proteins, then you will find this book very useful.
Biomolecular NMR spectroscopy. Jeremy N. S. Evans 444 pp. 1995. Oxfiord University Press. PB £24.50 Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can provide detailed infi)rmation about molecular structure and molecular interactions. NMR is being applied to the study of the structure of antiviral protein BDS-1, inflammatory proteins C3a and C5a, plastocyanin, thioredoxin, epidermal growth factor, interleukins 1B and 8, Alzheimer beta amyloid peptide, melanostatin, antibodies, protein folding, enzymes, DNA (lac operator, EcoRI); drug-DNA interactions, RNA structure; and membranes (phospholipids, glycolipids, gramicidin A, rhodopsin, phage coat proteins, alamethacin). This book gives the theoretical background to the use of NMR and how it has been applied to determine structures and structural changes in different chemical systems. It will help the biochemist and pharmacologist see possible applications to their own studies.
T h e physiology and biochemistry of prokaryotes. David White 378 pp. 1995. Oxfi)rd University Press. New York. $45 This is a single author text on bacterial and eubacteria for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. It deals with structure and function; growth; membrane biogenergetics; proton potential; electron transport; photosynthesis; regulation of metabolic pathways; bienegetics of the cytosol; central metabolic pathways; metabolism of lipids, nucleotides, amino acids and hydrocarbons; cell wall biosynthesis; inorganic metabolism; C-1 metabolism; fermentation; homeostasis; solute transport; protein export and secretion; signaling and behavior. It is good to have a single author who knows what is in all the different chapters and can coordinate and integrate the infi)rmation. It is also interesting how bacterial physiology and biochemistry have many similarities to that of cells in higher animals and, in some ways, provide the keys and lead the way to future research.
T h e r m u s species. Edited by R. Sharp and R. Williams 233 pages. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $75 Thermus bacteria can live in hot springs at temperatures of 60-80°C. This rneans that many of the enzymes extracted are thermostable and the DNA polymerase extracted from T. acquaticus has made possible the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) widely used in laboratories through the world. It has been estimated that 65% of the total enzyme activity remains after 50 PCR cycles at 95°C. This book deals with; taxononw and identification of Thermus; ecology, distribution and isolation; physiok)gy and metabolism; enzymes and their properties; cell wall and lipids; genetics; genes and gene manipulation; biotechnological applications. The thermal stability of the enzymes could be due to their intrinsic stability or to the presence of a specific protector molecule. It is probably due to minor differences in the amino acid sequence compared with the enzyme from a mesothenmc source.
Sulfate-reducing bacteria. Edited by L.L. Barton 336 pp. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $85 Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) use sulphate as the final electron acceptor in respiration. However, if sulphate is not present, then many of these bac-
G e n . P h a r m a c . Vol. 27, No. 6, pp. 1 0 7 7 - 1 0 7 8 , 1996 C o p y r i g h t © 1996 Elsevier S c i e n c e Inc. Printed in t h e U S A .
ELSEVIER
BOOK REVIEWS
How to write and publish a scientific paper. 4th Edition R. A. Day 223 pp. 1995. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. HB £27.95 PB £12.95 The majority of papers sent to be published are either sent back to the author fi~r additions, alterations and corrections, or they are rejected. This book should help authors in their struggles. It deals with scientific writing; how to prepare a title, abstract, introduction, material and methods, results, discussion, acknowledgments, references, tables, illustrations, keyboard; where and how to submit the MS; the review process; how to deal with editors; proofs; reprints; how to write a review paper, a conference report, a book review, a thesis; how to present a paper orally; how to prepare a poster; ethics, rights and permissions; use and misuse of English; aw)iding jargon; abbreviations; summary; selected journal title abbreviations; common errors in style and spelling; words and expression to aw)id; St; glossary of technical terms. All writers, new and old, will learn something to their advantage from this book.
Benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists. Edited by M. Sarter, D. J. Nutt and R. G. Lister 304 pp. 1995. Wiley-Liss. New York. £73 The BZDs are modulatory in affecting the ability of G A B A to open the GABAA receptor that gates the chloride ions. Positive modulators enhance G A B A action and are agonists. Negative modulators reduce G A B A action and are inverse agonists (IA). Antagonists block the action of both agonists and IA. The action of GABA~ is inhibitory and, so, BZD agonists are sedative and anxiolytic. BZD IA are axiogenic, procognitive and convulsant. This book deals with IA; model of the GABAA receptor; sensitization and tolerance; BZD and alcohol; IA and schedule-controlled behavior; IA and ingestive behavior; fear and anxiety induced by BZD IA; cognition enhancement; psychopharmacology; IA as therapeutic drugs. Given the extensive use of BZDs, the IA effects are significant and need study and greater recognition.
Enzymology and molecular biology of carbonyl metabolism. Vol 5. Edited by H. Weiner, R. S. Holmes and B. Wermuth 442 pp. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $120 This is the proceedings of a satellite symposium of the International Society fi~r Biomedical Research on Alcoholism held in New Zealand in 1994. The accent was on the biochemistry of alcohol metabolism with the main sections being on aldehyde dehydrogenase, aldo-keto reductase, and the alcohol dehydrogenase system. The variations of the different enzymes in man and animals are described, together with their site-directed mutagenesis. Many of the enzymes have been sequenced and their structure known. The genetic control of synthesis and breakdown has also been studied. It is possible that a greater understanding of the molecular biology will give insight into alcoholism.
Signal transduction protocols, Edited by D. A. Kendall and S. J. Hill 305 pp. 1995. Humana Press. New Jersey Methods in Molecular Biology Vol 41 This is a practical manual describing the methods used in studying receptormediated cell signaling with special attention to the G-protein linked superfamily. It deals with signal transduction processes at different levels; identification and localization of recognition sites by radioligand binding and autoradiography; assessment of G-protein function; intracellular messenger generating enzymes and catabolic enzymes; measurement of the kinases that mediate many of the actions of G-protein coupled receptors. If you are work-
ing on 2nd messengers and G-proteins, then you will find this book very useful.
Biomolecular NMR spectroscopy. Jeremy N. S. Evans 444 pp. 1995. Oxfiord University Press. PB £24.50 Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can provide detailed infi)rmation about molecular structure and molecular interactions. NMR is being applied to the study of the structure of antiviral protein BDS-1, inflammatory proteins C3a and C5a, plastocyanin, thioredoxin, epidermal growth factor, interleukins 1B and 8, Alzheimer beta amyloid peptide, melanostatin, antibodies, protein folding, enzymes, DNA (lac operator, EcoRI); drug-DNA interactions, RNA structure; and membranes (phospholipids, glycolipids, gramicidin A, rhodopsin, phage coat proteins, alamethacin). This book gives the theoretical background to the use of NMR and how it has been applied to determine structures and structural changes in different chemical systems. It will help the biochemist and pharmacologist see possible applications to their own studies.
T h e physiology and biochemistry of prokaryotes. David White 378 pp. 1995. Oxfi)rd University Press. New York. $45 This is a single author text on bacterial and eubacteria for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. It deals with structure and function; growth; membrane biogenergetics; proton potential; electron transport; photosynthesis; regulation of metabolic pathways; bienegetics of the cytosol; central metabolic pathways; metabolism of lipids, nucleotides, amino acids and hydrocarbons; cell wall biosynthesis; inorganic metabolism; C-1 metabolism; fermentation; homeostasis; solute transport; protein export and secretion; signaling and behavior. It is good to have a single author who knows what is in all the different chapters and can coordinate and integrate the infi)rmation. It is also interesting how bacterial physiology and biochemistry have many similarities to that of cells in higher animals and, in some ways, provide the keys and lead the way to future research.
T h e r m u s species. Edited by R. Sharp and R. Williams 233 pages. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $75 Thermus bacteria can live in hot springs at temperatures of 60-80°C. This rneans that many of the enzymes extracted are thermostable and the DNA polymerase extracted from T. acquaticus has made possible the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) widely used in laboratories through the world. It has been estimated that 65% of the total enzyme activity remains after 50 PCR cycles at 95°C. This book deals with; taxononw and identification of Thermus; ecology, distribution and isolation; physiok)gy and metabolism; enzymes and their properties; cell wall and lipids; genetics; genes and gene manipulation; biotechnological applications. The thermal stability of the enzymes could be due to their intrinsic stability or to the presence of a specific protector molecule. It is probably due to minor differences in the amino acid sequence compared with the enzyme from a mesothenmc source.
Sulfate-reducing bacteria. Edited by L.L. Barton 336 pp. 1995. Plenum Press. New York. $85 Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) use sulphate as the final electron acceptor in respiration. However, if sulphate is not present, then many of these bac-