Download Handbook of Protein Sequences: A Compilation of Amino Acid

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Preparative ‘Techniques.All three are edited by Eric Reid, and are based on symposia
at the University of Surrey. The symposium that gave rise to Volume 3 was held in
December 1971.
During the last few years zonal centrifuges have become more widely and more
routinely used in biochemical separations, and many improvements have appeared in
apparatus and technique. As the title suggests Volume 3 is to some extent an up-dated
version of Volume I-there are a dozen authors in common.
Of the 30 articles, 20 describe separations of a wide variety of biological particles:
proteins, nucleic acids, ribosomes, viruses, lysosomes and membrane fragments, whole
brain cells, and fish eggs and larvae. These articles are mostly short.
Though not designed to be a comprehensive handbook of zonal centrifugation,
Volume 3 gives a good idea of the broad range of zonal centrifugation techniques,
particularly if taken with Volume 1. It also contains a number of articles intended to
guide the novice around the many pitfalls in experimental design, with sections on the
basic theory of zonal centrifugation, apparatus, and even a note on the training of staff.
It is unfortunate that a ‘state of the art’ book such as this should have taken so long
to produce. It appears at almost the same time as another zonal symposium book
(Spectra, No. 4, 1973, Editions Cit6 Nouvelle, Paris), which has taken only 12months.
Many biochemists will feel, however, that there is enough useful material here to
justify spending E3.00.
DAVID RIDGE
Handbook of Protein Sequences: A Compilation of Amino Acid Sequences
of Proteins
L. R. CROFT (Editor)
Joyson-Bruvvers, Oxford, 1973, pp. 172, €5.50 (library binding), €2.95 (looseleafl
The Handbook produced by Dr. Croft is a testimony to his industry and patience. It
should find a place in a11 biochemistry departments.
While appreciative of the difficulties involved and bearing in mind the intention to
supply annual updates, one must comment that the lay-out might have been improved
if proteins had been presented in phylogenic sequence. The cytochromes, for example,
demonstrate ‘phylogenic changes’ very clearly but Neurospora crassa cytochrome is
sandwiched between those of the dogfish and the snapping turtle.
The transparent sheet provided for the location of residues (which are in lines of 17
units) is not without its drawbacks: for instance, aspartate aminotransferase (p. 26)
has 412 and bovine glutamate dehydrogenase(p. 4) has 500 residues whereas the acetate
sheet stops short at 340.
If the Handbook is reproduced in toto it might be advantageous to have 20 residues
per line and to number the vertical lines in units not only to produce a grid reference but
also to facilitate the location of individual residues. It might also be useful to provide the
coding data for the incorporation of amino acids into proteins so that students and others
can study the implications of genetic differences.
Dr. Croft is to becongratulated on hisefforts: the Handbookis cheap at the price!
One spelling mistake appears in the Index, where kangaroo (kangeroo) is misspelt on
each occasion.
G. R. TRISTRAM
~
The Enzymes of Glutamine Metabolism
STANLEY PRUSINER and EARL R. STADTMAN (Editors)
Academic Press, New York, 1973, pp. 615, f7.35
This collection of papers on all aspects of glutamine metabolism follows a
symposium held at the 164th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.
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