516 Book Reviews

written in a lively entertaining style and gives anecdotes, historical background and good factual information. It could be read with pleasure and instruction by most students.

The Enzymes of Biological Membranes. 2nd odn---Edited by Anthony N. Martonosi. Vol. I, Membrane Structure & Dynamics 451 pp. 1985. US$59.50. Vol. 2, Biosynthesis and Metabolism 449 pp. 1985. US$59.50. Vol. 3, Membrane Transport 676 pp. 1985. US$89.50. Vol. 4, Bioenergetics of Electron and Proton Transport 586 pp. 1985. US$79.50. Plenum Press, New York.

The first edition of this work appeared in 1976 and quickly established itself as an important first source to provide orientation and data from the literature. The second edition has maintained this high standard by providing a series of new multi-authored integrative reviews on the major topics of membrane structure and function. The main title of the series is a little too restrictive since many of the topics covered, (cytoskeletal proteins, gramicidin trans- membrane channel, control of ionic channels, calcium in- duced potassium transport, sarcoplasmic reticulum mem- brane, cell coupling, membrane fluidity, the acetylcholine receptor, the beta adrenergic receptor) are concerned with the present knowledge of the structures and functions of membranes, external membranes, mitochondrial mem- branes, chloroplast membranes, and their enzyme activities (mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, cytochrome oxidase, the cytochromes, ubiquinol, ADP/ATP carrier, the transferases, etc.).

This second edition is strongly recommended as the best available synoptic review of what is known about mem- branes.

Biochemistry of Lipids and Membranes---Edited by D. E. Vance and J. E. Vance. 593 pp. 1985. Benjamin/Cummings, Menlo Park; Addison-Wesley, Wokingham. £34.95.

This multi-authored volume has two objectives; to pro- vide an advanced textbook in lipid and membrane biochem- istry: to provide a clear summary for research workers in these fields. It does both of these well. The chapters deal with; cholesterol, evolution of structure and function; phys- ical properties and functional roles of lipids in membranes; lipid metabolism; oxidation of fatty acids; fatty acid syn- thesis; fatty acid desaturation and chain elongation; metab- olism of triglycerides; phospholipid metabolism; ether linked glycerolipids; phospholipase; eicosanoids; sphingoli- pids; metabolism of cholesterol and liproteins; lipid assembly into cell membranes; assembly of proteins into membranes.

The chapters are well written, clearly illustrated, with a selected bibliography, and four to five problems per chapter (answers given at the back). The book is recommended reading for those who wish to go beyond the basic biochem- istry textbooks and wish to have further insight into the dynamic role of lipids in the cell.

Metabolites and Metabolism; A Commentary on Secondary Metabolism--Edwin Haslam. 161 pp. 1985. Clarendon Press, Oxford. US$22.95.

Many compounds such as alkaloids, terpenes, polyenes,

polyacetylenes, pigments, phenols, mycotoxins, appear in Nature but they often appear to play no explicit role in the welfare or economy of the producer. Many important compounds (i.e. actinomycin, aflatoxin, alizarin, bulbo- capnine, caffeine, chloramphenicol, codeine, cantharathine, mescalin, morphine, nicotine, penicillin, psilocybin, quinine, strychnine) are considered and this book discusses their chemistry and some of the major themes of secondary metabolism. Sometimes the substances are produced at a specific stage in the life cycle i.e. antibiotic synthesis with sporulation in fungi. In most cases the secondary metabo- lites are clearly under the control of the genetic code and are activated by different levels of nutrient supply. Though it has been considered that many of the metabolites are detoxification products, it is more likely that they can play a role in the life of the organism, i.e. production of unpleasant or toxic metabolites to make them immune to attack by predators; as the products of overflow metabo- lism; or have an as-yet undetermined role in the biochem- istry of the organism. As a result of secondary metabolism we have many natural products of value in pharmacology, enzymology, nutrition, and medicine. This interesting book will stimulate the reader to consider the biochemical wealth of products in the living world and appreciate new pathways and roles yet to be discovered.

Glycosylated Hemoglobins. Methods of Analysis and Clinical Applications.--E. C. Abraham. 238 pp. 1985. Dekker, New York. US$59.75 (U.S.A.) US$71.50 (elsewhere). (Clinical and Biochemical Analysis Series, Vol. 19)

In diabetics where the serum glucose level is relatively high, there is a tendency for the hemoglobin to be non- enzymatically glycosylated. The hexose can be linked to the amino terminal groups of the beta chains, the alpha chain amino terminus and the eta amino groups of the lysyl residues. Ten different glycosylated Hb have been identified. The glycosylated Hb levels reflect the average glucose concentration in the serum for the past 2-3 months. This book describes the structure and function of the glyco- sylated Hb; the isolation and determination of their concen- tration; their presence in diabetes and hemolytic disease; and the glycosylation of other body proteins (albumin, lipo- proteins, RBC, nerve proteins, collagen~ lens crystallins, insulin, osteocalcin).

The Biochemistry of the Polypeptide Hormones---M. Wallis, S. L. Howell and K. W. Taylor. 488 pp. 1985. Wiley, Chichester. £39.50 cloth, £14.95 paper.

There has been a tremendous increase in our knowledge of the structure and mode of action of polypeptide hor- mones and this book provides an excellent account, written by experienced teachers so that undergraduates and post- graduates in medicine and science will find it easy to read and understand. It has a good biochemical endocrinology bias so that the facts fit into the wider framework of endocrine function and control. All the polypeptide hor- mones are considered and in addition there are chapters on structure-function relationship, hormone receptors, 2nd messengers, and the application of recombinant DNA tech- niques.