Lipids in Evolution (review)

BOOK REVIEWS Lipids in Evolution. By William R. Ness and W. David Ness. New York: Plenum Press, 1980. Pp. 244. $29.50. Past biochemical approaches to evolution have comprised studies on protein sequencing and nucleotide structure. Not as much has been contributed by the study of lipids; in fact, information on the relationships between any class of lipids and evolution is very modest and far from permitting any definitive conclusions on the subject. Such a view clearly emerges from this monograph, which has the value of presenting objectively the information in the literature, highlighting both established and controversial findings. At this time, it is apparent that the current lipid makeup of any given cell has to be considered the result of the interplay of many factors (cell function, lineage, environment, time), all of which influence evolution. The authors examine these factors in detail against a background which orients the reader on fundamental concepts such as the age of the universe, the age of the earth, and the dating of biological events. A particularly interesting portion of the book is chapter 4, in which the authors present an analysis of extraterrestrial lipids and terrestrial fossils, including information on recent findings on the moon and in meteorites. The authors are very cautious in relating the chemical data (many of which they themselves have obtained) to evolutionary parameters. By providing a wealth of details, they put the reader in the position of assessing the current state of the field and convey their perception of its importance. There is a natural fascination with this type of study which is related to the origin of life. Since much work remains to be done, the book may serve as a springboard for those willing to explore this unknown realm, but others may find this monograph of interest as well. Its reading (a total of 244 pages) is facilitated by the summaries accompanying all of the chapters and by the well-selected subject index. Anyone wishing to obtain more information about the literature on this subject will find it valuable to consult the abundant list of references which forms an appendix to the text. Angelo M. Scanu Departments ofMedicine and Biochemistry University ofChicago Permission to reprint a book review printed in this section may be obtained only from the author. 332 Book Reviews ...