Introduction to a Submolecular Biology by Albert Szent-Györgyi (review)

form this teaching into a school ofthought. It was the Germans who gave it a dogmatic and logical form." Boo. Volume I, The Evolution ofLife, shows how much further we have travelled toward understanding evolution as such than toward understanding the strictly human evolution and the development ofcultures and mind, described in fairly generalterms in Volume II. Man as an animal is better known than is man as a man. The complexity ofselection becomes greater the more we study it, both culturally and ecologically. One of the most interesting papers—at least to this reviewer—and one which certainly emphasizes the importance ofthe ecological approach, is Emerson's discussion ofevolution at the population and community levels. The interest lies not only in its widening ofthe concept ofnatural selection, but in its possible implications for the culturalevolutionofman. Emerson marshals the evidence for selection in favor ofreduced fertility rather than maximum reproduction , and introduces ideas of optimum selection intensity and optimum population density as against maximum density. His paper points further into the future, perhaps, than any ofthe others; and itlinks with it, by cross reference, chapters by Sewall Wright, already mentioned, and byWaddington on the mechanism ofadaptation. The books are well produced. They will form, together with the third (and last) volume ofthe series, which is about to appear, an invaluable reference to the most advanced thought on evolutionary theory at the present time. M. J. Dunbar McGiIl University Introduction to a Submolecular Biology. By Albert Szent-Györgyi. New York: Academic Press, Inc., i960. Pp. 160. $j.oo. A major work by Albert Szent-Györgyi is always an exciting event in the scientific world. This new book is no exception. And the new work is exceptionally exciting since it introduces a new epoch ofbiology—the electronic era ofcharge transfer. Biology came into bloom at the end ofthe last century when it was invaded and then dominated by chemistry—which was, inevitably, the contemporary chemistry of the nineteenth century. The alphabet ofcurrent biochemistry is still that ofletters, squiggles, dots, and dashes, which means that this science is still moving in the same molecular dimensionasit was moving atits birthinthe last century. Meantime the Bohratommodel was conceived and quantum mechanics was invented, but these concepts have not been utilized by biologists largely because their investigation in experiment was too difficult. An Albert Szent-Györgyi was needed to bring atomic orbitals to the bench level ofthe biologist. While atoms and molecules were revealed to be complete little universes, their strict individuality was broken down by solid-state physics. New properties arise due to the interaction ofwave-mechanicalpropertiesofadjacentunits. Thephenomenonis not confined to metals or solids. Albert-Szent Györgyi has devised techniques for the investigation of the effects of contiguity on molecules in biological systems and especially of charge transfer. 269 Electrons can trespass between the orbitale of2 complexing molecules. The complexes have an excited state characteristic for the complex and not ofits individual components. Charge transfer brings in the realm of electron transfer a host of substances capable of giving up I electron only. This electronic migration differs from redox in not affecting electrode potentials, and no rearrangement in molecular structure occurs; hence there is no major loss inenergy. A charge transfer complexis something between aclosed-shell molecule and a free radical. Ifthe complex dissociates, two free radicals are formed. In biology there are both strong spontaneous and weak light-induced charge transfers. Albert Szent-Györgyi has taught us, in addition, how to differentiate the charge transfer which occurs in overlapping ir-x orbitals ofhighly unsaturated ring systems from local charge transfer to a small but powerful electron acceptor such as I2. Charge transfer differs from the acid-base electron concept of G. N. Lewis, which is undoubtedly one of the foundations of modern chemistry. The donor-acceptor relation in charge transfer also is different from oxido-reduction although electron transfer occurs in both. Charge transfer is one leg ofa basic tripod in chemistry and biology. One has come to expect only great accomplishments from Albert Szent-Györgyi. In any age the great man has always concerned himselfwith the central problems. It is difficult to overestimate the powerful effects ofcharge...