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Book Reviews
Cell Compartmentation and Metabolic Channeling
L. NOVER, F. LYNEN and K. MOTHES (Editors)
ElsevierlNorth-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam,
1980, pp. 523, $65.00
Although much of the development of biochemistry has
necessarily been concerned with the establishment of chemical
identities, both simple and complex, and with their intricate
patterns of interconversion, biochemists have never lost sight of
the biological context in which this chemistry takes place, and its
implications for structural and organizational interactions. At an
earlier stage, both for historical reasons and for those of ease of
investigation, interest tended to be focused on the biochemical
interrelations between the organs and tissues of the larger plants
and animals. In more recent times has come a concern for
intracellular organization, and for the intimate details of the
ways in which whole series of activities interact within the
various parts of the living cells themselves. It is still the case that
interest is greatest in eukaryotic cells, with their greater variety
of organellar substructures, but a significant amount of attention
is now being paid to prokaryotes and to organization at the
molecular level in the sense of macromolecular interactions,
microenvironments and multi-enzyme complexes.
Such topics are traditionally found in the literature mostly in
the discussion sections of experimental papers and in an
occasional review. Recently there was published as a book the
deliberations of a conference on these matters which took place
in Dallas in January 1978. Now an important new volume has
appeared, reporting the proceedings of a symposium on ‘Cell
Compartmentation and Metabolic Channelling’ in Thuringia in
April 1979.
Some 40 papers are printed in full; in a few additional cases
topics are reported by title only, the manuscripts not having
been submitted. The format of the papers is along familiar lines,
but they differ in detail: in some cases the full formal
arrangement of an experimental research paper is used, whereas
others are closer to reviews or discussion papers. The book
starts, appropriately and sadly, with an appreciation of Feodor
Lynen, surely one of the most significant pioneers in this whole
field of subcellular biochemical organization. Thereafter the
book is divided into five main sections: surveys of a number of
general considerations (7 papers); the functional organization of
metabolic chains (8 papers); metabolic and regulatory interactions between cell compartments, including micro-organisms;
plants and animals (12 papers); compartmentation and regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (7
papers); and the role of compartmentation in cell morphogenesis and development (7 papers).
The scope of the book is comprehensive, and a high
proportion of those working in the field have made their
contribution. Nothing, of course, is ever perfect, but it would be
carping on the part of this reviewer to do anything other than to
recommend this valuable and interesting collection of papers to
everyone concerned with keeping abreast of the rapid advances
in this fascinating field.
V. MOSES
Biochemistry and Structure of Cell Organelles
ROBERT A. REID and RACHEL M. LEECH
Blackie, Glasgow and London, 1980,pp. 176, E l I S O
(hardback),f5.75 (paperback)
This book provides an up-to-date summary of the basic
biochemistry of cellular organelles while giving some insight
into the value of compartmentation of chemical function and the
intracellular and intercellular co-dependence of organelle systems. The volume, of nine chapters, reviews in turn each major
organelle type of the eukaryotic cell, describing the biogenesis.
structure and function, with occasional reference to the
prokaryotic situation. Each chapter contains a selection of
diagrams which give support and enhancement to the descriptions in the text. The plates are of variable quality; some are
excellent, most are more than adequate and a couple are a little
disappointing in their lack of detail.
It is refreshing to find in a book of this type that the majority
of the text is not confined to a description of the animal cell. In
fact, if a bias is present it falls in favour of the plant kingdom,
and I was pleased to see that in the chapter on mitochondria,
plant mitochondria had not been forgotten. The longest chapter
is devoted to the nature of plastids and chloroplasts, and the
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essence of chloroplast metabolism is found here condensed into
a readily understandable form which is complete in basic
concepts without excessive detail. This theme of concise
description is found throughout the text and is a great asset
when the subject is as complex as gene transcription and
translation. Two lengthy and informative chapters are devoted
to the nature of the nucleus and mitochondrion, whereas less
space is given to the Golgi, lysosomes and remaining organelles,
presumably because our knowledge of these is somewhat more
limited than that of the former. The final chapter deals with an
example of intracellular communication, the neuromuscular
synapse. This chapter has the appearance of being added as an
afterthought. for, although it is relevant, it is very brief and
seems o u t of place. The book is concluded by an excellent
bibliography where the reader wishing to obtain a more detailed
understanding will find a selection of pertinent references.
This book is compact, factual and to the point. Its design is
such that it is easily readable and it could provide a useful text
for both student and teacher, as it forms an excellent review of
modern concepts. It would also be of value to the non-biological
scientist wanting a brief accurate description of organelle
structure and function. Excellent value for money. C. FOYER
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