Download Robinson DG, Roger JC. 2000. Vacuolar compartments. Annual

Annals of Botany 88: 1219-1221, 2001
All articles available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on
Book Reviews
doi:10.1006/anbo.2001.1539
programmed cell death and ACVs in the remobilization of
storage proteins in seeds. The role of vacuoles in plant
•••I.AR
Robinson DG, Roger JC.
defence
is discussed in a chapter that describes the many
VtPARTMHNTS
2000. Vacuolar comparttypes
of
secondary compounds that are accumulated in the
Annual Plant Rrv
ments.
Annual plant
vacuole.
reviews. 314 pp. Sheffield:
The next four chapters specifically consider vacuolar
Sheffield Academic Press
membrane
transport. The energization of the tonoplast is
and London: CRC Press.
reviewed
in
chapter 7 covering the vacuolar-type (V-)
£85 (hardback).
ATPase and PPase pumps in detail. Although the structural
details of these proteins are now quite well understood,
This is the third book on the
including the subunit composition of the V-ATPase, the
vacuole that I have been
physiology and the reasons why the membrane has these two
invited to review in as many
protons pumps have not really advanced in almost a decade.
years [The plant vacuole:
The authors suggest that future work measuring how the
Annals of Botany 83 p. 481
patterns of expression change in response to environmental
(1999) and Plant cell vacuoles:
influences will identify the physiological functions of these
Annals of Botany 86 p. 1056 (2000)]. Why is the vacuole pumps. It is tempting to speculate that vacuolar heteroreceiving so much attention? A comparison of the three geneity within tissues could provide an explanation.
books illustrates how quickly this topic is moving. In my last Chapter 8 describes what is known about the spatial and
review for Annals of Botany I highlighted the lack of temporal variation in vacuolar contents and how this
information on the two types of vacuoles, lytic and storage. information is limited by the relatively small number of
Vacuolar compartments overcomes this deficiency as single cell sampling techniques that are available. The
vacuolar heterogeneity is a major recurrent feature of this quality and refinement of these techniques has improved
latest book.
greatly in recent years and is revealing a new level of comThis book is volume 5 in the series and contains 12 multi- plexity at the cellular level. The ion channels and cotranauthored review chapters with almost 300 pages on sporters of the tonoplast are reviewed in the next chapter; in
vacuolar function and physiology. The book begins with contrast to the primary proton pumps of the tonoplast the
a chapter on the yeast vacuole; although the authors genetic identity of most of these transport systems still
describe this as a model system for the plant there are some remains elusive. The authors comment that a protein
serious limitations to this view. For example, membrane approach may be the only way to the molecular identity of
targeting is different in the two organisms and, as recently these transporters. Vacuolar transport of secondary metabpointed out, 'plant cells are not just green yeast' (Bassham olites and xenobiotics is discussed in Chapter 10 and the
and Raikhel, 2000). The next chapter describes vacuolar recent rapid developments in thisfieldmust make this one of
processing enzymes and aquaporins, linking the two types the hottest areas of current research on vacuolar transport.
of vacuoles, protein storage and lytic, with the types of TIP Members of the large ABC transporter family have a major
(tonoplast intrinsic protein) aquaporins present in each role in driving the accumulation of these molecules and most
vacuole.
of the review describes what is known about this family of
A chapter on the contractile vacuole provides an MgATP-energized transporters.
interesting insight into the activity of this osmoregulatory
Chapter 11 describes the use of green fluorescent protein
organelle. The rapid changes in membrane structure that (GFP) as a marker for different types of vacuoles in plant
occur may require signalling cascades like those present in cells. Different forms of GFP can be used to separate lytic
stomatal guard cells and the use of mutants in Chlamydo- (acid) and storage (neutral) vacuoles in some cells. GFP can
monas and Dictyostelium is allowing the identification of also be used to follow the targeting to the tonoplast and
genes encoding the steps in this signalling system. The next compartments of the secretory pathway. The future use of
two chapters cover the changing roles of the vacuole during GFP in this way looks very promising, although the results
plant development. Autophagy and vacuole formation are obtained differ strongly between different plants. The last
described in a chapter that ranges from the genesis of protein chapter is written by the book's editors and continues with
storage vacuoles through to stress- and senescence-induced the theme of post-Golgi, prevacuolar compartments.
autophagy. Yeast and plant cells are compared in this Protein targeting to the vacuole via receptor-mediated
chapter and there is more information available on the yeast prelysosomal/prevacuolar compartments is reviewed,
system. A chapter on the specialized protease-storing mainly by using detailed morphological analysis.
organelles describes ricinosomes and aleurain-containing
Is this the definitive vacuole book? It is for now, and most
vacuoles (ACVs). Ricinosomes are specifically involved in of the chapters are well written and readable. The price and
0305-7364/01/121219 + 03 S35.00/00
£/ 2001 Annals of Botany Company
1220
Book Reviews
subject details make this a library book. The editors have
chosen well and the book should be available to all students
requiring detailed information on the vacuole. On the
downside I found some of the figures too small and in
monochrome they look rather dull. The book addresses the
familiar vacuolar functions under new headings, with each
chapter providing a reasonably up-to-date view of the topic.
The book title ' Vacuolar compartments' reflects the changing
view of this structure; as our knowledge of the heterogeneity
of this structure develops we may need a standardized
naming system for the different types of vacuole.
combustion under varied conditions—have been largely
ignored by ecologists and land managers.
This book is the outcome of a workshop meeting of the
contributors held at the National Centre for Ecological
Analysis and Synthesis at Santa Barbara, USA. It is intended
to 'strengthen the roots of fire ecology' in the physical
sciences by emphasizing theoretical and experimental
approaches. It attempts to bridge the gap between the 'elementary texts' on fire currently used by foresters, ecologists
and environmental scientists, and the 'technical literature'
on combustion and heat transfer. The text assumes the
reader has an elementary knowledge of physics, chemistry,
biology and calculus. The authors were instructed 'to keep in
LITERATURE CITED
mind the primarily non-physical-science background of the
intended audience' but also 'to provide enough detail and
Bassham DC, Raikhel NV. 2000. Plant cells are not just green yeast.
Plant Physiology 122: 999-1001.
depth for the reader to grow into the material'. It is a book
Leigh RA, Sanders D. 1997. Advances in botanical research. The plant
written predominantly by bio-physicists for foresters and
vacuole. London: Academic Press.
ecologists. I consider myself tofitthe intended readership.
Deepesh N De. 2000. Plant cell vacuoles: an introduction. Collingwood:
Most of the book is devoted to presenting information on
CSIRO Publishing.
fire processes. Flames (chapter 2) are one of the principle
Tony Miller processes of combustion. The chemistry of burning and
)2001 Annals of Botany Company smoke production is covered in chapter 3. Flames produce
heat, which helps to spread the fire. Fire spread (chapters 5
and 6) also depends on climatic and fuel characteristics,
especially water relations (chapter 4), and these interactive
processes help to explain the way in which fire moves. The
doi: 10.1006/anbo.2001.1545
coupling of wildfire plumes and the atmosphere above a fire
Johnson EA, Miyanishi K,
(chapters 7 and 8) link to meteorological influences on fuel
eds. 2001. Forest fires:
characteristics, fire frequency and scale (chapters 9 and 10).
FOREST
behaviour and ecological
New insights are given into the major natural ignition
effects. London: Acasource—lightning—from
recent studies pinpointing lightFIRES
demic Press. 594 pp.
ning events and fires (chapter 11). Smouldering combustion
$74.95 (hardback).
in forest duff is emphasized in chapter 13. The transfer of
heat to trees (chapter 14) and the use of statistical methods
The realization that fire is an
in reconstructing fire frequencies from the spatial mosaic of
essential component of many
different-aged patches (chapter 12) are also covered. The
ecosystems has generated a
final chapter (15) deals with forest fire management,
wealth of literature. However,
assessing impacts, and moving beyond simple fire exclusion
approaches to the study of
in the management of wildland fires.
forest fire ecology by ecoloEach chapter is broken down into sub-sections, which
gists have generally been
generally
have clear, readable introductions. Most chapters
descriptive and have followed
include theoretical sections in which processes are defined by
the dominant paradigm—
more or less complex equations. Although many chapters
succession theory or landscape patch dynamics. Reconstrucan appendix explaining the notation used, these
contain
tion of fire frequencies in the past, and understanding
often
assume
an understanding of physical constants and
ecosystem change and spatial patterns have been common and
laws.
The
book
can, indeed, be read on different levels, and
productive themes. Dendrochronological techniques have
provided dating precision. The actual and potential economic in some cases I did obtain a general intuitive grasp of the
cost of fires has ensured funding for research aimed at topic and its relevance without necessarily having a compredicting the combinations of conditions likely to lead to fire, plete understanding of the details and equations. In other
fire spread and mitigation. However, ecologists have generally cases I was irritated by the assumption that I understood the
been content to describe fires in very general terms ('hot' or conventions used, sometimes by complicated and poorly
'cool') and to assume simple relationships, such as a general explained diagrams, and occasionally by a condescending
inverse relationship between fire frequency and intensity. attitude on the part of some authors. A belief that underNumerous descriptions of forest fire effects on populations, standing the 'fundamental' equations will help the reader to
on community structure, and on ecosystem function have think 'scientifically' about forest fire problems permeates the
been mainly unrepeatable qualitative case studies. Exper- text. Nevertheless, I struggled through these sections and
imental manipulation of fire and consideration of the nature generally found enough to maintain my interest, although
and behaviour of fire—the physical and chemical process of the information on the ecological effects of fire was more