Molecular Biology of the Cell / Edition 6

by Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff

Overview

Molecular Biology of the Cell is the classic in-depth text reference in cell biology. By extracting the fundamental concepts from this enormous and ever-growing field, the authors tell the story of cell biology, and create a coherent framework through which non-expert readers may approach the subject. Written in clear and concise language, and beautifully illustrated, the book is enjoyable to read, and it provides a clear sense of the excitement of modern biology. Molecular Biology of the Cell sets forth the current understanding of cell biology (completely updated as of Autumn 2001), and it explores the intriguing implications and possibilities of the great deal that remains unknown.
The hallmark features of previous editions continue in the Fourth Edition. The book is designed with a clean and open, single-column layout. The art program maintains a completely consistent format and style, and includes over 1,600 photographs, electron micrographs, and original drawings by the authors. Clear and concise concept headings introduce each section. Every chapter contains extensive references. Most important, every chapter has been subjected to a rigorous, collaborative revision process where, in addition to incorporating comments from expert reviewers, each co-author reads and reviews the other authors' prose. The result is a truly integrated work with a single authorial voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815344643
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/01/2014
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	1464
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Bruce Alberts, is president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council, the principal operating arm of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering. He is a respected biochemist recognized for his work in both biochemistry and molecular biology and is known particularly for his extensive molecular analyses of the protein complexes that allow chromosomes to be replicated. Alberts joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1966 and after ten years moved to the medical school of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In 1980, he was awarded an American Cancer Society lifetime research professorship. In 1985, he was named chair of the UCSF department of biochemistry and biophysics. Alberts is one of the principal authors of "The Molecular Biology of the Cell," now in its third edition, considered the leading advanced textbook in this field and used widely in U.S. colleges and universities. His most recent text, "Essential Cell Biology," is intended to present this subject matter to a wider audience. He is committed to the improvement of science education; he helped to create City Science, a program for improving science teaching in San Francisco elementary schools.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1: The Evolution of the Cell

All living creatures are made of cells-small membrane-bounded compartments filled with a concentrated aqueous solution of chemicals. The simplest forms of life are solitary cells that propagate by dividing in two. Higher organisms, such as ourselves, are like cellular cities in which groups of cells perform specialized functions and are linked by intricate systems of communication. Cells occupy a halfway point in the scale of biological complexity. We study them to learn, on the one hand, how they are made from molecules and, on the other, how they cooperate to make an organism as complex as a human being.

All organisms, and all of the cells that constitute them, are believed to have descended from a common ancestor cell through evolution by natural selection. This involves two essential processes: (1) the occurrence of random variation in the genetic information passed from an individual to its descendants and (2) selection in favor of genetic information that helps its possessors to survive and propagate. Evolution is the central principle of biology, helping us to make sense of the bewildering variety in the living world.

This chapter, like the book as a whole, is concerned with the progression from molecules to multicellular organisms. It discusses the evolution of the cell, first as a living unit constructed from smaller parts and then as a building block for larger structures. Through evolution, we introduce the cell components and activities that are to be treated in detail, in broadly similar sequence, in the chapters that follow. Beginning with the origins of the first cell on earth, we consider how the properties of certaintypes of large molecules allow hereditary information to be transmitted and expressed and permit evolution to occur. Enclosed in a membrane, these molecules provide the essentials of a self-replicating cell. Following this, we describe the major transition that occurred in the course of evolution, from small bacteriumlike cells to much larger and more complex cells such as are found in present-day plants and animals. Lastly, we suggest ways in which single free-living cells might have given rise to large multicellular organisms, becoming specialized and cooperating in the formation of such intricate organs as the brain.

Clearly, there are dangers in introducing the cell through its evolution: the large gaps in our knowledge can be filled only by speculations that are liable to be wrong in many details. We cannot go back in time to witness the unique molecular events that took place billions of years ago. But those ancient events have left many traces for us to analyze. Ancestral plants, animals, and even bacteria are preserved as fossils. Even more important, every modern organism provides evidence of the character of living organisms in the past. Present-day biological molecules, in particular, are a rich source of information about the course of evolution, revealing fundamental similarities between the most disparate of living organisms and allowing us to map out the differences between them on an objective universal scale. These molecular similarities and differences present us with a problem like that which confronts the literary scholar who seeks to establish the original text of an ancient author by comparing a mass of variant manuscripts that have been corrupted through repeated copying and editing. The task is hard, and the evidence is incomplete, but it is possible at least to make intelligent guesses about the major stages in the evolution of living cells.

From Molecules to the First Cell 1

Simple Biological Molecules Can Form Under Prebiotic Conditions 1, 1 The conditions that existed on the earth in its first billion years are still a matter of dispute. Was the surface initially molten? Did the atmosphere contain ammonia, or methane? Everyone seems to agree, however, that the earth was a violent place with volcanic eruptions, lightning, and torrential rains. There was little if any free oxygen and no layer of ozone to absorb the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The radiation, by its photochemical action, may have helped to keep the atmosphere rich in reactive molecules and far from chemical equilibrium. Simple organic molecules (that is, molecules containing carbon) are likely to have been produced under such conditions. The best evidence for this comes from laboratory experiments. If mixtures of gases such as COZ, CH4, NH3, and HZ are heated with water and energized by electrical discharge or by ultraviolet radiation, they react to form small organic molecules-usually a rather small selection, each made in large amounts (Figure 1-1). Among these products are compounds, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and formaldehyde (HCHO), that readily undergo further reactions in aqueous solution (Figure 1-2). Most important, representatives of most of the major classes of small organic molecules found in cells are generated, including amino acids, sugars, and the purines and pyrimidines required to make nucleotides.

Although such experiments cannot reproduce the early conditions on the earth exactly, they make it plain that the formation of organic molecules is surprisingly easy. And the developing earth had immense advantages over any human experimenter; it was very large and could produce a wide spectrum of conditions. But above all, it had much more time-tens to hundreds of millions of years. In such circumstances it seems very likely that, at some time and place, many of the simple organic molecules found in present-day cells accumulated in high concentrations.

Complex Chemical Systems Can Develop in an Environment That Is Far from Chemical Equilibrium Simple organic molecules such as amino acids and nucleotides can associate to form polymers. One amino acid can join with another by forming a peptide bond, and two nucleotides can join together by a phosphodiester bond. The repetition of these reactions leads to linear polymers known as polypeptides and polynucleotides, respectively. In present-day living cells, large polyp eptides-known as proteins-and polynucleotides-in the form of both ribonucleic acids (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA)-are commonly viewed as the most important constituents. A restricted set of 20 amino acids constitute the universal building blocks of the proteins, while RNA and DNA molecules are constructed from just four types of nucleotides each. Although it is uncertain why these particular sets of monomers were selected for biosynthesis in preference to others that are chemically similar, we shall see that the chemical properties of the corresponding polymers suit them especially well for their specific roles in the cell.

The earliest polymers may have formed in any of several ways-for example, by the heating of dry organic compounds or by the catalytic activity of high concentrations of inorganic polyphosphates or other crude mineral catalysts. Under laboratory conditions the products of similar reactions are polymers of variable length and random sequence in which the particular amino acid or nucleotide added at any point depends mainly on chance (Figure 1-3). Once a polymer has formed, however, it can itself influence subsequent chemical reactions by acting as a catalyst.

The origin of life requires that in an assortment of such molecules there must have been some possessing, if only to a small extent, a crucial property: the ability to catalyze reactions that lead, directly or indirectly, to production of more molecules of the catalyst itself. Production of catalysts with this special self-promoting property would be favored, and the molecules most efficient in aiding their own production would divert raw materials from the production of other substances. In this way one can envisage the gradual development of an increasingly complex chemical system of organic monomers and polymers that function together to generate more molecules of the same types, fueled by a supply of simple raw materials in the environment. Such an autocatalytic system would have some of the properties we think of as characteristic of living matter: it would comprise a far from random selection of interacting molecules; it would tend to reproduce itself; it would compete with other systems dependent on the same feedstocks; and if deprived of its feedstocks or maintained at a wrong temperature that upsets the balance of reaction rates, it would decay toward chemical equilibrium and "die." But what molecules could have had such autocatalytic properties? In presentday living cells the most versatile catalysts are polypeptides, composed of many diff,prent amino acids with chemically diverse side chains and, consequently, able to adopt diverse three-dimensional forms that bristle with reactive sites. But although polypeptides are versatile as catalysts, there is no known way in which one such molecule can reproduce itself by directly specifying the formation of another of precisely the same sequence.

Polynucleotides Are Capable of Directing Their Own Synthesis 3

Polynucleotides have properties that contrast with those of polypeptides. They have more limited capabilities as catalysts, but they can directly guide the formation of exact copies of their own sequence...

Table of Contents

Special Features ..... xv

List of Topics ..... xvii

Acknowledgments..... xxxix

A Note to the Reader ..... xliii

Part I: Introduction to the Cell ..... 3

Chapter 1: The Evolution of the Cell ..... 3

Chapter 2: Small Molecules, Energy, and Biosynthesis ..... 41

Chapter 3: Macromolecules: Structure, Shape, and Information ..... 89

Chapter 4: How Cells Are Studied ..... 139

Part II: Molecular Genetics ..... 195

Chapter 5: Protein Function ..... 195

Chapter 6: Basic Genetic Mechanisms ..... 223

Chapter 7: Recombinant DNA Technology ..... 291

Chapter 8: The Cell Nucleus ..... 335

Chapter 9: Control of Gene Expression ..... 401

Part III: Internal Organization of the Cell ..... 477

Chapter 10: Membrane Structure ..... 477

Chapter 11: Membrane Transport of Small Molecules and the Ionic Basis of Membrane Excitability ..... 507

Chapter 12: Intracellular Compartments and Protein Sorting ..... 551

Chapter 13: Vesicular Traffic in the Secretory and Endocytic Pathways ..... 599

Chapter 14: Energy Conversion: Mitochondria and Chloroplasts ..... 653

Chapter 15: Cell Signaling ..... 721

Chapter 16: The Cytoskeleton ..... 787

Chapter 17: The Cell-Division Cycle ..... 863

Chapter 18: The Mechanics of Cell Division ..... 911

Part IV: Cells in Their Social Context ..... 949

Chapter 19: Cell Junctions, Cell Adhesion, and the Extracellular Matrix ..... 949

Chapter 20: Germ Cells and Fertilization ..... 1011

Chapter 21: Cellular Mechanisms of Development ..... 1037

Chapter 22: Differentiated Cells and the Maintenance of Tissues ..... 1139

Chapter 23: The Immune System ..... 1195

Chapter 24: Cancer ..... 1255

Glossary ..... G-1

Index ..... I-1

Editorial Reviews

5 Stars! from Doody

It has been 25 years since the first edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC) was published, which means that roughly half of today's practicing scientists do not remember life without this cell biology 'bible'. The other half might recall how the book almost instantly filled a void with refreshingly clear and engaging writing illustrated with extensive diagrams and figures . . . .MBoC has only improved over its several editions, growing with the rapid advances in the field to become an essential resource for students at all levels and a trusted first stop for researchers transitioning into unfamiliar areas of cell biology . . . .An enduring strength of the book is that it remains a comprehensive textbook . . . .In addition to the comprehensive updating of every chapter, another reason to consider acquiring edition five is the improved integration of the print volume with an extensive array of videos and animations in the 'Cell Biology Interactive' provided on the accompanying DVD . . . .Another welcome improvement in MBoC5 helps link the textbook to the lab - there are now problems printed at the ends of the first 20 chapters. Whereas some are designed to facilitate information retention, the best problems stimulate thought and challenge the reader to think about experimental approaches for learning new things about cell biology . . . .the MBoC5 package is a fantastic resource and well worth the upgrade.\

Development (Company of Biologists)

**** A big, beautiful (now in color throughout), up-to-date survey of cell biology for the introductory university course. The text is divided into four sections: introduction to the cell; molecular genetics; internal organization of the cell; and cells in their social context. Previous editions were published in 1983 (cited in BCL3) and 1989. The present edition is fully reorganized to reflect major advances in signal transduction, intracellular protein sorting, gene regulation, control of cell division, and developmental biology. It also adds new chapters on recombinant DNA techniques and on proteins as machines. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Reviewer: Alvin Telser, PhD (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Description: This is the third edition of an excellent text in modern cell and molecular biology; the second edition was published in 1989. The content covers a wide range of basic biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, cancer biology, tissue biology, immunobiology, and neurobiology. It includes material relevant to prokaryotes and eukaryotes in both the plant and animal kingdoms, although the emphasis is on animal systems.
Purpose: This book is written as a comprehensive and thorough introductory text to all the fields mentioned above. These ambitious and worthy objectives are fulfilled on nearly all fronts.
Audience: The primary audiences are upper level undergraduate biology students, graduate students, and medical and dental students. It is also useful as an initial reference source for practicing scientists who may wish to learn about relatively recent knowledge in a large variety of fields. The authors are all very well known and highly qualified scholars in their fields.
Features: The book has many excellent illustrations of the highest pedagogic quality. The references are numerous and up-to-date. The table of contents and index are extensive, thorough, and easy to use. The book is very attractive and uses color in the text and illustrations to enhance comprehension very effectively. There are no special features.
Assessment: This is an excellent textbook that has kept up with an exciting and important area of modern biology in this new edition. It is a standard text and reference source that should be in every college, university, and medical school library. Students who buy the text for a course or as a reference will find this book to be useful for many years. Because this field of research is expanding so rapidly, the new edition is more than welcome.

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