312

BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY TRANSACTIONS

Functional Units in Protein Biosynthesis

R. A. COX and A. A. HADJIOLOV (Editors)
Academic Press, London and New York, 1972, pp. 429, E7.00
The volume contains papers presented at the symposium on Functional Units in Protein
Biosynthesis held under the auspices of the Federation of European Biochemical
Societies at Varna, Bulgaria, in September 1971.
The contents of the book give a sound, if somewhat uneven, impression of steady progress in this active field of endeavour. The ribosome continues to emerge as a complicated dynamic focus at which components are aligned in a precise spatial manner and
processed in a definite sequence. The older concept of the ribosome as an inflexible workbench has obviously gone for ever.
As Dr. Lipmann points out in his brief but apposite introduction, current work affirms
the essential similarity between the prokaryote and eukaryote protein-synthesis systems.
The vogue for emphasizing differences is over, but one hopes that the significance of such
differences as there are will soon become apparent.
Inevitably, the degree of coverage of the various topics is determined by the available
speakers. Some subjects (ribosome structural components, amino acid activation) are
dealt with in considerable detail, whereas others (initiation in eukaryotic systems, control systems in mammalian translation) receive little attention.
As regards readability and layout, it is a pity that the division of the material into
sections (Macromolecules Involved in Protein Synthesis, Activation of Amino Acids and
t RNA, Integration and Function of the Protein-Synthesizing Apparatus, Genetics and
Biosynthesis of Ribosomes) adopted at the Symposium, and indeed in the Contents page,
was not extended into the text.
The quality of reproduction of photographs is generally excellent, as indeed it
should be for a proper appreciation of the electron-microscope studies of ribosome conformations (Sabatini et al.) and ribosomal genes (Spadari & Ritossa). One feels, on the
other hand, that some effort should have been made to redraw those line-drawings that
have been shrivelled to minuscule proportions, with corresponding loss of legibility and
clarity. The presence of a comprehensive author index adds to the usefulness of the volume to the specialist, and several review-style introductions will be of value to the nonpractitioner. But it is unfortunate that the high rate at which information becomes
dated in such an active area of research is aggravated by the slow pace of
publication (Abstracts of the 1972 FEBS Symposia were already at hand as the 1971
volume became available).
R. BAXTER

Lactic Acid: Properties and Chemistry of Lactic Acid and Derivatives

C. H. HOLTEN with contributions by A. MULLER and D. REHBINDER
Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, 1971, pp. 566, DM135
This book contains everything you wanted to know about lactic acid, but are afraid to
ask. The senior author has collected about 3000 original papers up to June 1968 (plus a
few later publications) and has referred to over 2000 of these in the text. The result is an
encyclopaedic yet readable survey of the physical properties, chemistry and applications
of lactic acid and its derivatives, including salts, esters, amides, ethers and heterocyclic
species. In many instances data from different sources are discussed critically, and even
the minutest detail is not overlooked, e.g. the surface tension of lactic acid after 38 years
storage.
Readers of these Transactions will presumably be most interested in the 40-page biochemistry chapter (by D. Rehbinder) containing sections on the occurrence, formation,
metabolism and physiological significance of lactic acid. Many topics in this contribution, however, such as glycolysis, homolactic fermentation and lactate dehydrogenases,
are contained in several reviews and most texts. Consequently this monograph will
1973

BOOK REVIEWS

313

attract many biochemists only if it is already on their library shelves. The second
contributor is A. Muller, who provides a useful summary on analytical aspects of lactic
acid.
Turning to some minor points: The discussion on optical activity would be improved
by rotating the perspective formulae in Fig. 2 (p. 141) to be consistent with Fig. 1. In
addition, Eo are standard rather than normal potentials, AG should replace AF (p. 79),
and m p is preferable to pm (p. 89). In future editions SI nomenclature should be used
throughout.
This monograph was sponsored by the Stichting Ilra, International Research
Association, Copenhagen, Denmark, a foundation that disseminates information on
the properties of lactic acid and its derivatives. They should be well pleased with the
authors efforts, and there is no doubt that this book will become the bible of pure and
applied chemists working in the subject area.
JAMES W. DAWSON

Monolayers of Lipids in Relation to Membranes

(Volume 3, Part 3, of Progress in Surface Science, Ed. by S . G. Davison)
D. 0. SHAH
Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1972, pp. 58, f.1.80
This publication is, in effect, a chapter from Part 3 of Volume 3 in the series Progress in
Surface Science. The material covered gives an outline of progress in monolayer studies
up to the present time, with brief summaries of the major experimental findings from
selected published work. It is not intended to be an introduction to the field, simply a
summary of progress. Within these limits the article is quite useful. What is difficult to
understand is why the publishers have chosen to print it as a separate work. It could easily
have been combined with other chapters of biological interest to make a useful additional
volume to the series. On its own, I imagine few people will consider it value for money.

J. M. WRIGGLESWORTH
Publications Received
Methods and Techniques in Clinical Chemistry, Paul L. Wolf, Dorothy Williams, Tashiko
Tsudaka and Leticia Acosta, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1972, pp. 417
Secondary Metabolism in Plants and Animals, M. Luckner, Chapman and Hall, London,
1972, pp. 404
Biological Applications of Electron Spin Resonance, Harold M. Swartz, James R. Bolton
and Donald C. Borg (Editors), Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1972, pp. 569
The Alkaloids, Vol. 2, Specialist Periodical Reports, The Chemical Society, London,
1972, pp. 293
The Molecular Basis of Mutation, J. W. Drake, Holden-Day, San Francisco, 1970,
pp. 273
Zmmunogenetics, W. H. Hildemann, Holden-Day, San Francisco, 1970, pp. 262
Chemical Modification of Proteins, G . E. Mears and R. E. Feeney, Holden-Day, San
Francisco, 1971, pp. 254
Protein Biosynthesis,Structure and Function of Macromoleculesand Subcellular Elements,
P. Szafranski, S . Klita and P. Maslowski (Editors), Polish Biochemical Society,
Warsaw, 1969, pp. 207
Review of Physiological Chemistry, H. A. Harper, Lange Medical Publications, San
Francisco, 1971, pp. 529
Molecular Bioenergetics and Macromolecular Biochemistry, H. H. Weber (Editor),
Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1972, pp. 197

Vol. i