Chemical Education Today
Chemistry and Biology by Edward J. Walsh Chemistry and Biology is entering its second year of operation. Its editorial offices are in London but its editors are Stuart L. Schreiber of Harvard University and K. C. Nicolaou of Scripps Institute in La Jolla, California, recognized leaders in the field of bioorganic chemistry. It is a unique and timely journal that largely succeeds in serving scientists and teachers by reporting important events in “chemical biology”, a field that is steadily defining itself as problems in biology become increasingly well defined and molecular understanding becomes essential. We have categorized much of the area where the interests of chemists and biologists overlap as bioorganic or bioinorganc. These terms have turned out to be quite protean in practice and not very useful. Perhaps the term chemical biology better conveys the intent Chemistry and and ambition of this work. InterBiology [defines] est in these emerging areas continues to grow and their importance issues where is attested to by the Harvard chemistry is chemistry department’s renaming itself the Department of Chemisplaying an try and Chemical Biology. The important role in Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, to be headed by Julius Rebek, understanding a chemist known for his extensive [biology]. and impressive discoveries in molecular recognition, is a significant addition to the Scripps Institute and confirms its commitment to nonclassical chemistry. Chemistry and Biology goes a long way in defining issues where chemistry is playing an important role in understanding biological phenomena and principles. Each issue contains mini reviews and more extensive reviews of important areas. These do something very important for me, an organic chemist and teacher struggling to understand some biology, because the editors strive to make them as accessible as possible. The first part of each review contains a basic, readable and reasonably comprehensive introduction to the area it is reporting. Your understanding is enhanced, the biological issues don’t seem as intimidating, and you have the opportunity to appreciate the chemistry. The research papers also have helpful introductions, and throughout the journal the graphics are spectacular. Occasionally, there is a section called Crosstalk, which is a favorite of mine. In the January issue of this year Arthur Kornberg described how chemistry is becoming a lingua franca, the common language for all the biological sciences. This, of course, presents its own challenges and responsibilities, “How do we teach the language of scientific achievement to the public and to our representatives in Washington?” The problems within our own campuses are also rather formidable. The rift between chemists and biologists may be constitutional. Kornberg describes the biological culture as being dominated by right-brain char
acteristics and the chemical arena peopled by leftbrain folks. “Chemists seem more conservative, analytical and clannish. They focus on molecules: an exotic alkaloid, antibiotic or arcane pigment. They seek the challenge of a molecule with many chiral centers at the very limit of synthetic difficulty and vie to obtain it in the fewest steps with the best yield. They obtain precise data with relatively few and elegant tech- …the graphics niques. To them, the chemical mo- are spectacular. notony of proteins and nucleic acids overrides their biological importance. “Biologists on the other hand seem more artistic, eclectic and right-brain dominated. They focus on complex phenomena in cells and organisms, using a wider range of techniques with less precision. They welcome mysteries and complexities and some are disappointed when the veil over a phenomenon lifts to expose molecular detail.” In the most recent issue, Crosstalk, by David R. Kelly, describes coincidences in pheromone structure. Entitled “When is a Butterfly Like an Elephant?” it is drawn from a recent report in Nature that female Asian elephants release (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate in their urine to signal male elephants that they are ready to mate. This compound is also a major component in sexual pheromones of a great number of butterflies and moths. Now, even the most biology-challenged chemist can see that this will not present us with a problem of interspecies mating, but it is interesting. Kelly outlines several examples of similar or identical pheromones being used by insects and mammals and gives us excellent structural detail. He speculates that mammal and insect perception of pheromones might have strikingly similar receptor activity. “Polyenes and Vision” by Robert R. Rando gives a molecular account of vision and why visual pigments all use 11-cis-retinal as the chromophore. Another review from Chris Walsh’s group describes the molecular basis by which bacteria can produce resistance to vancomycin. This new understanding could provide us with the knowledge and the tools to intervene and prevent resistance. The research articles encompass all that is chemical biology. Their introductory and background material keeps you reading, and their structural detail and stunning graphics pull you further in. They are demanding (but rewarding) reads. I suspect that the comfort level for a chemist may be a little higher than that for a biologist but few of us will find them “a day at the beach”. Chemistry and Biology (ISSN 1074-5521) is published monthly by: Current Biology Ltd, 34-42 Cleveland St., London W1P 6LB, UK. Edward J. Walsh is in the Chemistry Department of Allegheny College, Meadville, PA 16335-3902; 814-3325359;
[email protected].
Vol. 73 No. 12 December 1996 • Journal of Chemical Education
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