441

book reviews

A good methods book for virologists and for immunologists

Animal Virus Pathogenesis - A Practical Approach

edited by Michael B. A. Oldstone, IRL Press, 1990. ~,18.50 (pbk)/~_,30.O0 (hbk) (xviii + 174 pages) ISBN 0 19 963101 8

This book comprises a collection of methods arising from molecular virology, immunology and histology. Notwithstanding the diversity of this subject, this book is based, largely, on the experience of Michael Oldstone's laboratory, and the contributors to this multi- authored techniques' book are either from this laboratory or have had past associations.

We are reminded in the first chapter, what exactly a study of viral pathogenesis entails. The methods chapters that follow are applicable to any DNA- or R.NA- virus-host interaction, although much of this laboratory's experience is gained from studying lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. The chapter on the use of whole mouse sectioning was developed to identify tissue tropism

of this persistent virus, using immunocytochemistry or in situ hybridization for viral 1LNA. Although this is a powerful technique for examining the distribution of viruses in rodents, the procedure is tedious and requires specialized equipment. The chapters on molecular virology techniques are very useful. This laboratory has great expertise in in situ hybridization, in particular the section on detecting protein and nucleic acid in the same cell is well worth buying the book for. What I like about these chapters is the number of 'in-house' improvements to standard molecular-biology techniques, which are designed to make life easier for the first timer.

Other chapters deal with the host response and centre on detecting

immunological responses. These include techniques for deriving T-cell clones, an approach to mapping T-cell epitopes using mini-genes in recombinant vaccinia viruses, and information on the detection of immune complexes. One of the most detailed chapters covers the detection of mouse natural killer (NK) cells by Ray Welsh. Immunologists would certainly find this useful. Inevitably, with a subject so diverse as 'viral pathogenesis', some methods are 'glossed over' or are absent. For example, there is little information on the detection of T-helper cells and nothing on the anti-viral or pathological activities of cytokines.

Apart from these deficiencies, I found this to be a very useful methods book, with each chapter containing a clear and concise description of the various protocols. I think virologists will like this book for those recipes on in situ hybridization, and immunologists searching for a good practical approach to studying mouse NK cells, need look no further.

Anthony Nash Department of Pathology, University of

Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.

Spotlight on microbes Advances in Microbial Physiology: Vol. 31

edited by A. H. Rose and D. W. Tempest, Academic Press, 1990. L45.00 (v + 311 pages) ISBN 0 12 027731X

It is always pleasurable to be presented with a new volume in the Advances in Microbial Physiology series and Vol. 31, containing five very disparate but rewarding essays, is no exception.

Assinder and Williams (Bangor, UK) bring us up to date o~¢ the subject of the TOL plasmids, reminding us that the xyl genes of Pseudomouas spp. share with the n/f genes of Klebsiella the distinction of being the best described of the long multigene regulatory units in

bacteria. I would however dissent from their statement that,

"Around 1970 the study of bacterial catabolism of aromatic compounds was a relatively esoteric backwater of microbiology which had contributed little to mainstream science apart from the description of yet more elaborate biochemical pathways'.

Indeed, I would cite in

contradictory evidence Dagley's chapter in Vol. 6 of this series.

A very detailed account of the physiology of Mycobacterium leprae (the causative organism of leprosy) is given by Wheeler (Hull, UK). This pathogen has not been cultivated axenically and has only been observed to divide within host cells. Drug screening thus presents a problem, but current procedures are evaluated and possible reasons for the organism's intracellular parasitism are considered.

In a delightfully readable and particularly well-illustrated chapter the distribution and properties of magnetotactic bacteria are reviewed by Mann, Sparks and Board (Bath, UK). These are fascinating microbes and not the rare curiosities that they were initially thought to be. Commercial uses for their minute intracellular permanent magnets have been

TIBTECH DECEMBER 1991 (VOL 9)