INTRODUCTION TO PROTEIN CHEMISTRY Sidney W . Fox, Director of the Oceanographic Institute, Florida State University, and Joseph F. Foster, Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1957. viii 459 pp. 15 X 23.5 cm. $9.50.
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THE rapidity with which advances are being made in protein chemistry makes it imperative that existing information as well as recent developments be reviewed and presented anew from time to time. In this respect, the authors of "Introduetion to Protein Chemistry" have done s n admirable job of providing both the student and the specialist with a readable, well-organized, comprehensive, and upto-date introduction to the fast moving field of protein chemistry. Developing their subject in step-wise fashion, the authors devote the first seve r d ohapters to a description of the physical and chemical properties of the amino acids, a discussion of the methods available far their preparation and assay, and a consideration of their metabolic and nutritive significance. In logical sequence follow chapters on the naturally occurring peptides and their fractionation, the determination of the structure of peptides, and the synthesis of peptides. Proceeding from the relatively simple chemistry of amino acids and peptides to that of the more complex mscromolecule, the protein itself, the chemistry of the latter is outlined in terms of amphoteric praperties, electrophoresis, physical methods of investigation, solubility behavior, preparation and purification of proteins, protein structure, and denaturation. With this as a background, attention is directed toward the chemistry of specific blood, egg-white, milk, muscle, and plant proteins. Typical of a pleasing bdance, whioh the authors maintain hetween physical, organic, and biological rsnects of motein chemistrv. artre subchemistry, to peptiden and proteins as specific substrates, to immunological reactions and selected topics from nucleaprotein chemietry, and, to the nature of viruses. In conclusion the concepts of primordid synthesis and the biosynthesis of nrotein are brieflv considered. Tor r l w cowminwr 01 thr rr.tder 111siring tletnilwl inirmmtion, xdcvttd lxmk*. reviews, and original articles are presented as references a t the end of each chapter. In the opinion of this reviewer, the authors have succeeded well in their preparation of a contemporary "Introduction to Protein Chemistry." The hook should find wide acceptance in courses on protein
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VOLUME 35, NO. 6, JUNE, 1958
chemistry in which a comprehensive oub line of basic information is desired itnd selected subject matter can be treated more intensively in the classroom. I t should prove particulrtrly valuable to those in related sciences seeking general, or in in many instances, detailed information in the field of protein ohemistry.
The book would he excellent for advanced medical students and is of a fundamental enough nature that it might also be considered for a course in general biochemistry. RICHARD U. BYERRUM n1rcxrom ST*TE U N ~ V E A B ~ T ~ M~m, t r e m EABTL A N B L N
PAUL BARTLETT EDBEL B . FORDI N B T I TFOR ~ ~MEDICAL REBEA~O~ D E T R OMIORI.*N ~.
THE LIPIDS. THEIR CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY. VOLUME 3: BIOCHEMISTRY BIOCHEMISTRY AND HUMAN METABOLISM Burnham S. Walker, Associate Pathologist in Chemistry, Burhank Hospital, Fitohburg, Massachusetts; William C. Boyd, Professor of Immunachemistry, Isaac Asimov, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Boston Univemity Schwl of Medicine. Third edition. The Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1957. vii 937 pp. 16.5 X 23.5 om. 512.
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TEE third edition of this book retains the same structure as the original volume, first published in 1952, hut some of the subjects have been expanded and brought up to dste. The organization of subject materiel is of interest since it attempts to bring together the various areas of hiochemistry into an integrated approach to a living organism. The first part entitled Structure discusses the structural chemistry of proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids, and the forms in whioh these occur in tissues. Tho actual chemistry of tissue constituents is presented in a somewhat abbreviated fashion, particularly with regard to lipids and carbohydrates. The second part, Control, discusses eneymes and hormones and the regulatory influences of these entities. Growth, Part 111, provides a. consideration of reproduction and genetics along with the chemistry and role of nucleoproteins in living organisms. Part IV, Metabolism, wur.rirw stv~iuna01, food, Ap,.rir,n, and vsrrrtiur! w b i d t probahly *htmld not be ~nv1uddin &; eon4wution of nwrnl~olism. The discussion of metabolic reactions is, however, complete and up to dste. The find part, entitled Pathology, discusses vitamin deficiency diseases and has a section on infections which includes a summary of mtibody-antigen reactions and chemotherapy. Each of the parts considers in some detail abnormdities in the various processes and the resulting pathological changes in living organisms. An appendix concerned with isotopes and their use in metabolic studies is provided.
Harry 1. Deuel, Jr., Professor of Biochemistry, University of Southern California. Interscience Publishers, h e . , New 1065 pp. 16.5 X York, 1957. u x v i 23.5 cm. $25.
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THIShook is the third and final volume of the series in which Deuel has summarized in detail our knowledge of the chemistry and biochemistry of the lipids. To those familiar with the previously published volumes, it is a source of satisfaction that the author was able to complete this third volume before his untimely death. For here, as in the first two volumes, the author has endeavored to include reference to all the experimental work that has appeared an the topios under review and to present the many theories, often conflicting, that have been advanced with respect to the metabolism and function of the lipids. More than 5000 literature references in this volume done, testify to thescopeaf the coverage. These references are conveniently placed as footnotes throughout the text. The author was an experienced nutritionist as well as a biochemist. This enabled him to discuss the metabolism of the lipids not only at the molecular level but also in terms of the animal as a whale. This broad approach is one of the outstanding features of this work. The biosynthesis of triglycerides, p+pholipids, and fatty acids in the anlmal body is the first major topic of the present volume. This is followed by a review of the oxidation and metsbolism of these lipids, including the role of acetic, formic, and propionic acid in the intermediary metabolism of fats, the metabolism of hydroxy, keto, and other fatty acid derivatives. The same approach, biosynthesis and metabolism, is followed in considering cholesterol and related sterols, the oaratenoids and the fat-soluble vitaA, D, E, and K. A mins-vitamins chapter is devoted to the physiology and biochemistry of the essential fatty acids. The work is concluded with a hundredpage chapter an the nutritive value of fats.
