The Biological Chemistry of the Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life [Paperback]

J. J. R. Fraï¿1/2sto da Silva (Author), R. J. P. Williams (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198508484 | ISBN-13: 978-0198508489 | Publication Date: November 1, 2001 | Edition: 2

Twenty inorganic elements, mostly metal ions, are consistently found in living systems and are essential for living systems to function correctly. This text discusses, describes and explains the functional relevance of those elements: the reasons for their selection; the processes of their uptake; transport and final localization in cells; the regulation of these processes; and the interactive network of their reactions that connects the in vivo inorganic elements to the environment and to the genome. The volume has been thoroughly revised for this second edition and includes a discussion of the link to the genome of the uptake and transfer of inorganic elements and the regulation of homeostasis, the functional co-operative activities of the elements, the interaction with the environment, and the evolution of usage. Recent structural and mechanistic knowledge of many biomolecules and organelles is also included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A textbook for students of chemistry or biology looking at biological chemistry from an inorganic perspective. A certain bias is inevitable in order to compensate for the traditional heavy focus on organic chemistry. No prerequisites are specified. The first edition was published in 1991."--SciTech Book News

"This new edition is even better than the original, both in terms of organization and content. It is easier than before to use as a textbook or as a reference source owing to the detailed indexing. It provides the most up-to-date and extensive compilation of operational concepts in bioinorganic chemistry of any single textbook available today."--Angewandte Chemie International Edition

About the Author

J.J.R. Frausto da Silva is a Professor of Analytical Chemistry, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidad Tecnicia de Lisboa. R.J.P. Williams is an Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Oxford.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198508484
• ISBN-13: 978-0198508489
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great info that desperately needs an editor!, May 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Biological Chemistry of the Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life (Paperback)

Wow, "really readable"? You must be kidding (directed to the reviewer from Wisconsin)! The writing is dreadful - the authors repeat themselves, write 2-page long paragraphs and paragraph-long sentences, contradict themselves, and fail to adequately explain figures. Sure, we all know that scientific writing is dense, but this is truly ridiculous. Where was the editor when this book was being writtten and published? That said, this book is packed with GREAT information that you just don't find anywhere else! It really helps chemists understand how biology uses elements (especially METALS) and is thought-provoking and useful for biologists, biochemists, and geochemists. So, buy this book but don't expect a fun and easy read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference book, April 6, 2002

By 

grad student (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Biological Chemistry of the Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life (Paperback)

I'm a fourth year going next year to grad school in bioinorganic chemistry. This is the kind of book I wanted to have as reference for a long time. It covers the biological chemistry of each element, explaining why different metals are used in different systems. It is the first book that I found in which it is explained why only Co and Ni form organometallic bonds and not the rest of the transition metals. It is true, it is a chemistry book, but that's what I needed. The figures and the language are great, and the references at the end of each chapter are very useful. It is updated (october 2001), something very important in biochemistry. In short, a great reference!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reference for biochemist or inorganic chemist., January 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Biological Chemistry of the Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life (Hardcover)

If you are a biochemist working on an enzyme with inorganic cofactors or an inorganic chemist with an interest in biochemistry, you'll like this book. As chemistry texts go, it's really readable, with great figures and diagrams. The authors cover chemical speciation, the possible role of evolution in cofactor incorporation, and give lots of useful references. The only down side is that this is not a book for someone with little or no background in chemistry.