Nature’s Robots: A History of Proteins
Nature’s Robots: A History of Proteins Books
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Proteins are incredible molecules. They spark the chemical reactions that form the basis for life, transmit signals in the body, identify and kill foreign invaders, form the engines that make us go, record visual images. For every task in a living organism, there is a protein calculated to carry it out.
Nature’s Robots is an authoritative history of protein science, from the earliest research in the nineteenth century to the most recent findings today. Tanford and Reynolds, who themselves made major contributions to the golden age of protein science, have written a remarkably vivid account of this history. The authors start with the research of Berzelius and Mulder into “albumins,” the early name for proteins, and the range all the way up to the findings of James Watson and Francis Crick. It is a fascinating tale, involving heroes from the past, working frequently lonely or in small groups, ordinarily with small support from formal research grants. They capture the growing excitement among scientists as the mysteries of protein structure and function–the core of all the mysteries of life–are exposed small by small. And they include vivid portraits of scientists at work–two researchers, stranded by fog in a Moscow airport, strike up a conversation that leads to a major discovery; a chemist working in a small lab, with small funding, on a problem no one else would tackle, proves that enzymes are proteins–and wins the Nobel Prize.
Written in clear and accessible prose, Nature’s Robots will fascinate to anyone interested in the peaks and valleys of scientific research.Amazon.com Review
Proteins make it possible for us to digest food, to battle disease, to breathe, to go; they underlie life itself. Only in the last 200 years have scientists come to know how these proteins, or “foremost things,” work. How they did so is the theme of this welcome history of protein science.
It doesn’t diminish our pleasure in such things to know that the aroma appearance from a cooked ham is generated by the reaction of maltose and glutamic acid, even as the heavenly scent of chocolate comes from the interaction of phenylalaine and sucrose. Tanford and Reynolds aren’t just so given to rhapsodizing, but they write appreciatively nonetheless of advances such as Franz Hofmeister’s identification of the “peptide bond” that joins amino acids in proteins, John Kendrew’s work in understanding the three-dimensional structure of myoglobin, and the efforts of modern researchers who, joining protein science to cell biology and genetics, are now working to solve the structures of more than 10,000 protein families.
General readers and students with an interest in the life sciences will find this well-written history to be of much use–and the best of its kind. –Gregory McNamee
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I read this book twice; the first time was when I wrote my book on water and aqueous solution and more recently, even as writing the sequel to my book on the role of water in biochemical processes.
In both cases I have loved reading the book. Tanford and Reynolds tell the tale of proteins in a simple, non-technical and engaging style, not to mention the many amusing anecdotes.
Although I have a few reservations, as well as some disagreements on specific statements made in this book, this did not damp nor diminish my enjoyment of reading it. I was particularly impressed to learn about the “evolution” of the thoughts of early scientists on the “dominant forces” in biochemical processes, in times when the structure of proteins was effectively unknown.
The book also contains small reviews on the rich repertoire of diverse proteins’ physiological functions such as enzymatic activity, locomotion of living organisms, color thought and more.
I wholeheartedly urge this book for any reader, a layperson or research scientists to name a few, who are curious to learn how scientific thoughts evolve from very primitive speculations to highly sophisticated theories, everlastingly leaving elbow room for further study and understanding of the nature of Nature’s Robots.
Rating: 5 / 5
This volume concerns itself with the nature of proteins, from early crystallization and spectroscopy studies to the debate between whether proteins are colloids or macromolecules, and the discovery of the peptide bond. Methods of analysis are discussed in regards to their historical context, and many researchers are given due credit in their various efforts, some counter-productive. Much of the text is given to protein structure and folding and how research has illuminated these areas. There are also chapters on physiological functions and how proteins are synthesized and the discovery of DNA and it’s significance, all in historical review.
Current protein research is briefly mentioned, and there are many references cited throughout the volume. This book is primarily targeted to chemists although anyone with an interest in protein science may possibly read it. I personally plotting this book was very informative.
Rating: 5 / 5
People who say that History of Science is dull haven’t read this brilliant book. This book is lively, entertaining and unbiased. Even as you can find dozens of accounts of the history of chemistry or physics, protein biochemistry has been overlooked for way too long. It was worth the wait though! As the proud owner of some of the material cited in this book (particularly on the history of enzymes), I had a blast reading “Nature’s Robots”. Read it and then go out and buy “Mendeleyeff’s dream”, they complement each other perfectly
Rating: 5 / 5
This book represents the very best kind of science writing: tart, concise, erudite and eclectically well informed. Contracted, this book is not aimed at the average reader, you must have a honestly excellent working knowledge of protein chemistry. Indeed, the authors explicitly state that this book is meant for young researchers in the field of proteins (me): it can get very technical in places. The authors hope to plug a lacuna in the knowledge of proteins that is not taught in universities for very excellent reasons. History often makes the learning of new concepts trying (although there are equally excellent reasons for teaching it – re. the Mach-Maxwell debate in the teaching of physics in Germany in the nineteenth century).
The authors have found the most marvellous materials – obscure researchers, long-forgotten debates, the wonder of discoveries as it was felt at the time. Indeed, what makes the book come alive is that discoveries are described in the context that they were made – both in terms of alternatives and the fractious internal strife they sometimes engendered. Here, an appreciation of the technical details is an absolute must to truly appreciate the writing.
Historical context is judiciously included. When it is necessary, for instance, to know how certain labs came into prominence or how thoughts criss-crossed the globe. But, historical context is not slavishly used to structure the book. Some discoveries logically engender other discoveries. Too much focus on the historical context would lose the thread of the thoughts. There are some of the most delicately rendered biographies, although thankfully, these are only kept at a minimum, a link of paragraphs or so – after all, most scientists are not that fascinating as people.
Finally, the authors have held no punches. In one place, they dismiss the work of a Nobel prize winner after winning the prize as a waste of time.
But, one vital ommision must be said (as noted in the review of this book in Nature). The Nobel-prize winning work of Anfinsen in showing that denatured proteins can refold is reduced to a single footnote. Given the generosity they have shown in other places, this is suprising.
Rating: 5 / 5