Question

This thread is for strange biology facts. Have you learned something weird or wonderful recently? Share it here!

(Unlike the discussion threads planned by blues/biomed, there is no set topic: anything biology-related is welcome.)

Answer 1

I'll start: Malaria is caused by single-celled parasites in the genus Plasmodium (e.g. P. falciparum). These parasites, like many others in the phylum Apicomplexa, have an odd little structure called an Apicoplast. What's so odd about it? It's actually a plastid. Like a chloroplast. This apicomplexan plastid is now responsible for lipid synthesis, but it's thought that once upon a time, it could indeed photosynthesise: it was, for all intents and purposes, a chloroplast. Unlike the chloroplasts in green algae or Plantae, however, the Apicoplast is believed to be the result of secondary endosymbiosis with red or green algae (like the chloroplasts in Euglena).

One interesting result of this discovery is that scientists now have a new tool with which to fight malaria: herbicides.

Answer 2

Interesting, @Calliope !

Something I picked up today: when you permanently curl your hair (getting a perm), you may indeed be taking advantage of some interesting biochemistry involving proteins. Disulfide bridges, which are S-S bonds that help stabilize protein structure, are found along keratin (the main constituent of hair and nails). One way of curling your hair is to - apply heat, wrap hair into desired shape, and apply a substance which acts reducing agent. This effectively breaks the disulfide bonds. Then, after some time, you apply an oxidizing agent. This reforms the bonds - but, reforms them such that the hair remains in its new shape.



Here's what I mean.