November 1998

Table of Contents
ASM News Issues

Reviews and Resources

Eukaryotic mRNA Processing

Adrian R. Krainer (ed.). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997, 378 p., 4120 (hardback)

Reviewed by Nina Brown and William Walden, University of Illinois, Chicago

 Industrial Enzymes and Their Uses

Helmut Uhlig (translated and updated by Elfriede M. Linsmaier-Bednar). John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1998, 454 p., $98

Reviewed by Richard P. Elander, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

 E. coli Database Collection-ECDC

Reviewed by Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, The University of Illinois at Chicago

 This site is a compilation of searchable sequence information from the E. coli K-12 genome, maintained at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen, Germany. The authors, Ralf Wahl and Manfred Kroeger, have used sequence data from GenBank, EMBL, and independent literature to create an assembled set of contiguous sequences. The sequence can be viewed as a genetic map that provides locations of coding and regulatory regions or as sequence contigs, both containing information on the location and orientation of original EMBL files. The sequence is also organized into various tables containing information about individual genes, putative open reading frames, regulatory regions, promoters, terminators, IS elements, tRNAs, and rRNAs. In addition, homology searches, FASTA and BLAST, can be performed against the sequence (however, some of the links providing information on how to use FASTA and BLAST were not available when I tried to use them). These features make the site a useful reference for geneticists, microbiologists, and molecular biologists. Links to other E. coli sites are readily available. One cautionary note, the site has not been updated since March 1997; I think the site's usefulness will be maintained only if the sequence information is updated on a regular basis.

OUTBREAK

Reviewed by Kim R. Finer, Kent State University/Stark Campus

 OUTBREAK is a continuously updated, online resource providing information on emerging infectious disease to the general public, health care providers, and scientists. The site, which is easily navigable via a menu of links at the bottom of each page, is put together by David Ornstein, a computer software professional with an interest in emerging viruses. Users of the site should be cautious as contributed site information is unfiltered for quality, however reports are flagged with quality indicators including icons, footnotes, discussion and references which provide source and reliability information. In addition, a scientific review team (credentials provided) serves the site. Ultimately the user is responsible for judging the validity of the information. Site organization includes an overview of emerging disease (with links to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and World Health Organization publications and reports), detailed information about specific emerging diseases, and short, succinct reports of historical and active disease outbreaks. All information presented is linked to a comprehensive glossary of terms especially useful for the layperson or student microbiologist.

OUTBREAK is an excellent resource for microbiologists in need of quick, current worldwide reports on emerging infectious diseases. I find the site particularly useful in the classroom as a resource for supplementing textbook information or as a springboard to discussion of the reliability of scientific information from a variety of sources.