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Power, Sex, Suicide
Mitochondria and the meaning of life
Nick Lane
368 pages
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14 line drawings and halftones
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196x129mm
978-0-19-920564-6
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Paperback
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26 October 2006
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- The first popular science book on the nature and function of these tiny, yet fascinating structures.
- Up-to-date: The nature and central role of mitochondria in the evolution of complex life has only recently been fully recognized.
- Engages with major areas of debate, in which the author presents his own views and contributes to biological thought.
- Nick Lane, the author of Oxygen, is a rising star in top-level popular science writing.
- Of interest not only to non-specialist readers of popular science but also to students and professional biologists.
Mitochondria are tiny structures located inside our cells that carry out the essential task of producing energy for the cell. They are found in all complex living things, and in that sense, they are fundamental for driving complex life on the planet. But there is much more to them than that. Mitochondria have their own DNA, with their own small collection of genes, separate from those in the cell nucleus. It is thought that they were once bacteria living independent lives. Their enslavement within the larger cell was a turning point in the evolution of life, enabling the development of complex organisms and, closely related, the origin of two sexes. Unlike the DNA in the nucleus, mitochondrial DNA is passed down exclusively (or almost exclusively) via the
female line. That's why it has been used by some researchers to trace human ancestry daughter-to-mother, to 'Mitochondrial Eve'. Mitochondria give us important information about our evolutionary history. And that's not all. Mitochondrial genes mutate much faster than those in the nucleus because of the free radicals produced in their energy-generating role. This high mutation rate lies behind our ageing and certain congenital diseases. The latest research suggests that mitochondria play a key role in degenerative diseases such as cancer, through their involvement in precipitating cell suicide.
Mitochondria, then, are pivotal in power, sex, and suicide. In this fascinating and thought-provoking book, Nick Lane brings together the latest research findings in this
exciting field to show how our growing understanding of mitochondria is shedding light on how complex life evolved, why sex arose (why don't we just bud?), and why we age and die. This understanding is of fundamental importance, both in understanding how we and all other complex life came to be, but also in order to be able to control our own illnesses, and delay our degeneration and death.
'An extraordinary account of groundbreaking modern science... The book abounds with interesting and important ideas.'
Mark Ridley, Department of Zoology, University of OxfordReadership: Non-specialist readers interested in popular science, and especially in biology, evolution in particular.
Students and professionals in the life sciences.
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"Challenging, but rewarding." - Vanessa Thorpe, Observer "Its the most interesting and significant addendum to Darwin's theory I think I've come across since Richard Dawkins explained how genes are the mechanism for evolution." - Independent on Sunday, "An enthralling account...The author has accomplished something quite breathtaking... Moreover, he brings the science alive...he is always accessible lively , thought provoking and informative. Every Biologist should read this book"
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IntroductionMitochondria: Clandestine Rulers of the World
Part 1Hopeful Monster: The Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell
1: The Deepest Evolutionary Chasm
2: Quest for a Progenitor
3: The Hydrogen Hypothesis
Part 2The Vital Force: Proton Power and the Origin of Life
4: The Meaning of Respiration
5: Proton Power
6: The Origin of Life
Part 3Insider Deal: The Foundations of Complexity
7: Why Bacteria are Simple
8: Why Mitochondria Make Complexity Possible
Part 4Power Laws: Size and the Ramp of Ascending Complexity
9: The Power Laws of Biology
10: The Warm-Blooded Revolution
Part 5Murder or Suicide: The Troubled Birth of the Individual
11: Conflict in the Body
12: Foundations of the Individual
Part 6Battle of the Sexes: Human Pre-History and the Nature of Gender
13: The Asymmetry of Sex
14: What Human Prehistory Says About the Sexes
15: Why There Are Two Sexes
Part 7Clock of Life: Why Mitochondria Kill us in the End
16: The Mitochondrial Theory of Ageing
17: Demise of the Self-Correcting Machine
18: A Cure for Old Age?
Epilogue
Glossary
Further Reading
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The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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