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BOOK REVIEW |
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
edited by Robert E. Palazzo and Gerald P. Schatten. Academic Press (2000) 489 pages. ISBN 0-12-153149-X $129.95
Microtubules are continually reconstructing themselves, whether it be to change cell shape, for intracellular trafficking, or most dramatically, to form the mitotic spindle. In animal cells, the centrosome is the microtubule-organising centre of the cell, but other eukaryotes use completely different structures - for example, the spindle pole body (SPB) of yeasts. How such disparate structures accomplish similar functions has been an enduring mystery. This collection of reviews draws together research into all aspects of centrosome/SPB function, at a time when an understanding of its function at a molecular level is now within sight. In the years since the last major work dedicated to the centrosome was published (Kalnins, V. I. (1992). The Centrosome. San Diego: Academic Press), our understanding has advanced considerably and, therefore, this volume is very welcome. Firstly, the success of the budding yeast genome project has allowed an almost complete identification of the core components of its SPB. Secondly, the major function of centrosomes and SPBs - to nucleate microtubules - has been shown to be due to the actions of a large protein complex, the 
-tubulin ring complex, which is conserved from yeasts to humans. Thirdly, while it has been known for over a century that tumour cells display abnormal centrosome behaviour, only now is molecular evidence emerging that centrosome defects may be a primary cause of cancer and not merely a consequence of aberrant divisions.
The book consists of 20 reviews written by some of the most prominent scientists in the field, comprehensively covering centrosome/SPB structure and function from yeasts to vertebrates. The astonishing molecular conservation of microtubule nucleation by the -tubulin ring complex is discussed first. Subsequently, the SPBs of S. pombe, S. cerevisiae and Dictyostelium are described in detail. The next five essays are concerned with the reproduction of the centrosome, its regulation by protein phosphorylation and its possible role in tumour development. The remaining chapters discuss the wonderful and enigmatic behaviour of the centrosome during meiosis, and the early development of Drosophila and C. elegans. Tucked in-between these sections are essays describing basal body structure and the role of centrosome-associated nucleic acids.
The quality of each individual essay is extremely high. In general, sufficient introduction is given for someone unfamiliar with a particular organism or developmental process to fully appreciate the work described, and adequate colour figures are provided. Each chapter can therefore be read independently, which is useful if one wants to read about a specific subject, but if reading from cover to cover one does discover a lot of redundancy. For example, the role of cyclin-dependent kinases in duplicating the centrosome is discussed no less than five times throughout the book. Nevertheless, this repetition does ensure near complete coverage of the recent literature.
One useful feature of a book devoted to the centrosome is the opportunity it provides to identify unanswered questions. Despite the great strides made in recent years in identifying centrosome/SPB components, we know very little about how all these components functionally interact. Similarly, the molecular changes in the centrosome during meiosis are still a mystery, the role of the centriole in mitosis remains unclear (higher plants and yeasts manage perfectly well without them), and an explanation of the role of the centrosome in organising early developmental events, such as pronuclear fusion and spindle positioning, still eludes us.
My only criticism of this book is an editorial one. As a new century begins, it would have been nice to have a historical overview summarizing how the centrosome has been studied over the past hundred years. Only the chapters on basal bodies and tumour development give any insight into the long tradition of centrosome research.
In conclusion, this fascinating, expertly written and readable book provides a stimulating reference work for those in centrosome research. So central is the role of the centrosome in the life of the cell, however, that this collection should be essential reading for anyone studying mitosis, meiosis or early development.
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