The second volume in the Bioorganic Chemistry series edited by Sidney Hecht is an outstanding addition to the collections of all scientists who teach and/or do research in the field of protein chemistry. The coverage of current research is up to date and thus the book is of great relevance to all chemists with interest in proteins, not just to academicians. As an instructor I found numerous references to current research, which I have included in my lecture notes for the undergraduate Biochemistry course and a senior-level Protein Engineering course taught at WWU. In addition to the chapters covering a broad spectrum of protein chemistry, there are two chapters (protein structural analysis, site-directed mutagenesis) which are excellent introductions to laboratory procedures in protein chemistry and molecular biology.

The first chapter is an overview of basic protein biochemistry and serves as an introduction to the rest of the book. This chapter is dispensable for readers familiar with introductory biochemistry. The chapter on chemical synthesis of peptides is an exhaustive review of solution and solid-phase methods, with numerous references. I was struck by the abundance of figures showing structures of reactants but the general lack of organic chemical mechanisms. This is true for the rest of the book as well. Presumably the chemistry is known to the intended reader (grad students, advanced undergrads); however, as a devoted pusher of electrons, I was expecting to see more mechanisms in this and subsequent chapters. Instructors will have to present this aspect of the chemistry in lecture.

The relevance of peptide chemistry is underscored by accompanying chapters on peptide hormones and peptidomimetics. Taken together these three chapters provide an excellent introduction to pharmaceutical peptide chemistry. The chapter on total synthesis of proteins is one of my favorites. It outlines elegant synthetic approaches to the formidable problem of generating long peptides and is very readable. Complementing the chemical synthetic strategies is a chapter on recombinant methods for protein synthesis. Again, I found this to be an excellent review of methods that have become the sine qua non of protein structure-function studies. The application of site-directed mutagenesis to support protein biophysical studies is illustrated with relevant examples from the author's laboratory. The chapter Structural Analysis of Proteins is an informative review of lab procedures for analyzing primary sequence and posttranslational modifications. It might well serve as a lab manual, as in many cases recipes for a particular procedure are given in the text. At 70 pages the chapter on protein structure is the longest in the book. It is impressive in its level of detail while maintaining readability. This chapter not only provides an excellent introduction to protein structure in general but also highlights the interplay between computational methods (modeling, refinement) and classification of structural motifs that supports structure prediction. Four chapters further illustrate the diversity of research in the protein field. These topics include antibody catalysis, DNA-binding proteins that require zinc, the use of enzymes in organic synthesis, and protein-based materials research. Finally, two chapters deserve special mention as outstanding treatments of important theoretical concepts. The chapters on protein folding and proton transfer to and from carbon by enzymes stand out in my mind as excellent qualitative introductions to complex topics. Both are succinct, lucid presentations of the relevant theoretical considerations, with ample references to the primary literature for those seeking more quantitative development of the topics.

This is an outstanding collection of reviews. If you are a peptide or protein chemist or a reader with a general interest in proteins, you will benefit from reading all or most of this book. Each chapter stands on its own, so the order of coverage during an academic term depends on the preference of the instructor.

I have only minor suggestions for improvement. I found roughly a dozen typos in the figures and in the text. I prefer references at the end of each chapter rather than all together at the back of the book. The book would be enhanced by the inclusion of mechanisms for many of the cited reactions. Cofactor chemistry, metabolic pathway elucidation (xenobiotic biosynthesis), and enzyme mimics (other than antibodies) are not covered in this volume. It is debatable whether they should be. In the final analysis the editor had to make choices about what to include and he made very good ones. Perhaps some of the elegant synthetic chemistry being developed to elucidate biosynthetic pathways and enzyme mechanisms will appear in subsequent volumes. In my mind that is classical bioorganic chemistry and worthy of inclusion. In the meantime, Professor Hecht is to be congratulated for assembling yet another fine edition of readable and relevant Bioorganic Chemistry.