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Fungal biotechnology: the molecular geneticist's story

Applied Molecular Genetics of Filamentous Fungi

edited by_[. R. Kinghorn and G. Turner, Blackie Academic and Professional, 1992. UK~,65.00 (:vii + 259pages) ISBN O 7514 0058 0

In the past decade or so, there has been considerable research into the molecular genetics of the flamentous fungi. In the late 1980s and early 1990s there were a number of very useful review articles summarizing the progress made to date. This book represents the next stage of activity in the cycle, i.e. when the subject has expanded to such an extent that those working in the field feel they can no longer keep abreast of all the developments and, in particular, with the application of those developments.

On the dust cover of the book is the comment that, 'none o f the books currently available covers recent developments in the applied molecular biology of fungi, outside the yeasts'. While this is not strictly accurate (e.g. Molecular Industrial Mycology by S. A. Leong and R. M. Berka, Marcel Dekker, 199l) it does reflect the dearth of books covering this topic, especially those that attempt to cover the utilization of new genetic techniques in the improvement of fungal processes. The editors are well qualified to fill this gap, and to aid them they have assembled a multinational team of authors from the USA, Japan and Europe. The diversity of the authors is reflected in the contents of the book, with subjects ranging from biological control to mushrooms, via heterologous protein production. This serves to emphasize both the importance, and the widespread application of molecular genetic techniques to the filamentous fungi.

The book starts, sensibly enough, at the beginning of the story. Chapter 1 concentrates on developments in Aspergillus nidulans, emphasizing its role as a model system and discussing its relevance to other, more industrially significant fungi. Chapter 2 gives a brief review ofgene organization in

the economically important fungi and makes the particularly valuable point that today's laboratory curiosity might turn out to be either the ideal host for foreign gene expression, or a useful source o f genes for insertion elsewhere. Clearly, our ability to transfer genes between species may force us to reconsider which species we label as 'valuable' or otherwise.

Chapter 3 discusses fungal enzymes in oriental food and beverages and Chapter 4 covers the enzymes involved in tignocellutose degradation. In each case the genetics are discussed succinctly. Chapter 5 is especially useful, in that as well as emphasizing the potential for expressing heterologous proteins in moulds, it also discusses the hurdles to be overcome before successful expression is achieved. Chapter 6 reviews the stability of recombinant strains in fermentation systems, and

might serve as a good introduction for the non-specialist.

Chapters 7-9 focus on less- commonly encountered applications of molecular biology to the fungi, biological control, and the improvement of Agaricus and oriental mushroom production, respectively. A useful overview of the molecular genetics of fungal secondary metabolite formation is given in Chapter 10. The editors have the last word with a very short chapter entitled 'Future prospects', which could have been greatly expanded. This also applies to the index.

The editors have achieved much in bringing together a wide range of material in such an accessible form. They have achieved their stated aims of giving not only a good introduction to recent developments in the molecular genetics of the filamentous fungi, but also of discussing the impact upon fungal processes. The latter is all the more valuable because it is so infrequently encountered.

The book would be of use to postgraduate researchers working with fungi, and to some senior undergraduates. All in all a timely work, with a good balance to it, but why no paperback edition?

Brian McNeil Department of Bioscience and

Biotechnology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK G1 1XW.

Plant proteins - an engineer's perspective

Plant Protein Engineering

edited by Peter R. Shewry and Steven Gutteridge, Cambridge University Press, 1992. US$55.00 (hbk) (ix + 346pages) ISBN 0 521 41761 9

This is the first book in a new senes entitled Plant and Microbial Biotechnology which aims to produce volumes covering aspects of plant and microbial biotechnology that have not previously been addressed in the literature. The series editor, J. M. Lynch, has chosen both the topic and the editors of this introduction to the series extremely

wisely; between them, Peter Shewry and Steven Gutteridge have assembled an international collection of contributors and an outstanding volume on plant protein engineering.

The first section gives an introduction to protein expression and structure. All three chapters are very clearly written and provide a

TIBTECH FEBRUARY 1993 (VOL 11)