Synopsis
Based on world literature and on experimental material obtained by the author and his collaborators, providing an overview of the chemistry of condensed phosphates and expounding the state of the problem of distribution, intracellular localization, metabolism, and physiological role of polyphosphates in the vital activity of contemporary organisms and in the evolution process.
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Review
"This book is recommended for academic libraries supporting advanced biochemistry or related programs." ( E–STREAMS, January 2005)
From the Author
High-polymeric inorganic polyphosphates (PolyP) were found in living organisms by L. Liberman in 1890. These compounds are linear polymers containing a few to several hundred residues of orthophosphate (Pi) linked by energy-rich phosphoanhydride bonds.
Previously, it was considered either as "molecular fossil" or as only a phosphorus and energy source providing the survival of microorganisms under extreme conditions.
Over more than 20 years after the first edition of the book "Biochemistry of Inorganic polyphosphates", the study of polyphosphate metabolism enzymes, their structure and genetic aspects has experienced a great break-through. The studies of the recent years have greatly changed our ideas of the PolyP function in living organisms. On the obtaining of strict evidence that these compounds occur in the representatives of all kingdoms of living organisms, including the higher animals, it became obvious that PolyP are necessary practically for all living creatures from different stages of evolution. One would think that these compounds in the first place have the regulatory role, participating in metabolism correction and control on both genetic and enzymatic levels. That is why they have not disappeared in the course of evolution of living organisms on the Earth.
In the recent years, first of all by A. Kornberg and her co-workers, it has been established that PolyP directly related to the switching-over of the genetic program characteristic of the logarithmic growth stage of bacteria to the program of cell survival under stationary conditions, "a life in the slow line". PolyP and polyphosphate kinase participate in many regulatory mechanisms occurring in bacteria:
* they participate in the induction of rpoS, a RNA-polymerase subunit which is responsible for the expression of a large group of genes involved in adjustments to the stationary growth phase and many stressful agents;
* they are important for cell motility, biofilms formation and virulence
* PolyP and exopolyphosphatases participate in the regulation of the levels of the stringent response factor, guanosine 5'-diphosphate 3'-diphosphate (ppGpp), a second messenger in bacterial cells.
The discovery by R. Reusch, which proved the involvement of PolyP in the formation of channels across the cell membranes, extended our previous notions of the function of these compounds. The above channels formed by PolyP and poly-b -hydroxybutyrate with Ca2+ are involved in the transport processes in organisms from different evolution stages.
Surely, the most important function of PolyP in microorganisms – prokaryotes and the lower eukaryotes, which depend a lot on the changing environmental conditions – is phosphate and energy reservation. In this connection, under certain growth conditions these organisms are able to accumulate PolyP in much greater amounts than the higher eukaryotes, the dependence of which on external factors is much less due to homeostasis, strictly regulated by hormones. However, PolyP are presented in animal cells, and there are many data on its participation in the regulatory processes during development, cell proliferation and differentiation.
One of the basic questions, which only begin to be investigated, concerns the ways of PolyP involvement in the regulation of gene expression. While there are appreciable achievements for bacterial cells in this direction, elucidation of the role of PolyP in the nuclei of is still an important prospective problem for eukaryotes and particularly for the higher representatives of this kingdom. The study of participation of PolyP and the enzymes of its metabolism in regulation of bone tissue development seems also to be promising.
At present, the significance of PolyP investigation for biotechnology has arisen. The importance of PolyP for solution of ecological problems has been revealed:
* it was established that microorganisms accumulating polyP may be used to solve the problem of purification of waste
* water and water bodies from excessive technogenic phosphate. An effective biotechnology as a tool for phosphorus removal from wastewater using polyphosphate-accumulating microorganisms has been developed.
* PolyP were found to be very important for the accumulation and detoxication of heavy metals, including Cd2+ and Hg2+.
The intent attention of researchers has been drawn to solution of important medical and biological problems associated with polyphosphate biochemistry. First of all, polyphosphate And polyphosphate kinase is important for formation of bacterial pathogenicity. A number of bacterial mutants in PolyP metabolism lose their pathogenicity for animals and man. In opinion of A. Kornberg, one of the targets of novel antimicrobial drugs may be polyphosphate kinase – an enzyme of PolyP biosynthesis in bacteria, because polyphosphate kinase or /and PolyP were found to be necessary for virulence. The absence of any similar enzyme in higher eucaryotes makes toxicity less likely.
It should be noted, that we live now in the environment with the permanent phosphorus and PolyP excess. PolyP is used as detergent, fertilizer, food additives and its influence on the environment and human heals need further investigations.
Thus, the study in the field of PolyP biochemistry is still quite a prospective direction, which will more than once give unexpected results elucidating the most important regulatory mechanisms of the living cell.
The study of this biopolymer is also important for the development of biotechnology for overcoming of unfavorable factors due to phosphate contamination of environment and for infections and some other disease control.
All these aspects of modern biochemistry of inorganic polyphosphates are the reasons for the second revised edition of the book "Biochemistry of inorganic polyphosphates". The book describe the structure and properties of these compounds and present a comparative analysis of the newest and traditional methods of their extraction from cells and quantitative assessment. Distribution of polyphosphates in organisms, their localization in cells and tissues is described. Particular attention is given to the functions of this compound in cells, including phosphate and energy reservation, sequestration and storage of cations, formation of membrane channels, participation in phosphate transport, involvement in cell envelope formation and function, gene activity control, regulation of enzyme activities and, as a result, an important role in stress response and stationary phase adaptation. Besides, the applied aspects of biochemistry of the PolyP and the place of PolyP in chemical and biological evolution are discussed.
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The Biochemistry of Inorganic Polyphosphates
Seller: BookOrders, Russell, IA, U.S.A.
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Hard Cover. Condition: Acceptable. No Jacket. Ex-library with the usual features. There is a small stray pen mark on the back of first title page, otherwise the interior is clean and tight. Binding is good. Cover shows light wear and has library label on the spine. 255 pages. Ex-Library. Seller Inventory # 122756