Don't Go Where The Huskies Go!

MARVELS OF FRANK ZAPPA

"Don't go where the huskies go, please don't eat that yellow snow," was a line from an old Frank Zappa song. Most of you may not have even heard of Frank, but may know of his daughter, Moon Zappa, who has a TV show. In the latter part of the sixties and early seventies Zappa was making strange music with weird lyrics like the one above. The musical genius is now dead from cancer of the prostate. Nonetheless, the lyrics live on; and we must ask, "Could there be more to the yellow snow than huskies?"

Brian Duval studies yellow snow. But he also studies red, green, and orange snow. While on an expedition in Antarctica, he found some greenish-yellow snow outside a penguin rookery and decided that it was another type of algae that can survive near-freezing temperatures, lack of food, baking by the sun, and acid environments. However, he was quickly chided by his teammates because the greenish-yellow stuff turned out to be nonalgal in origin and, in fact, was a product of the penguins! Even the professionals get fooled sometime.

What We Need to Know

What are algae? How many different kinds of algae are there? What kinds are you familiar with?
What might cause the colors of the algae?
What are growth conditions for most plants?
How do you suppose an alga might survive a high-acid environment? How could they survive the intense UV radiation exposure?

There are several scientists, such as Brian Duval, who study "snow ecology." Those who are interested in the organisms that produce the colored snow have found that UV light can induce production of phenolic compounds (also called flavonoids) in the snow algae. The compound is similar to the compound found in grape skins, which is known to reduce plaque buildup in arteries in those who drink wine. They may be used by plants as a defense mechanism in response to attacks by fungi and insects. They may even protect the organisms from UV radiation. The increased production of flavonoids in snow algae reduces the level of cellular free radicals that damage chlorophyll molecules.

What We Need to Know

Describe the chemistry of a phenolic compound.
What are "free radicals" and how do they do damage to living cells?
Pharmacologists have suggested that the phenolic compound research may lead to treatment of certain cancers and reduction of atherosclerosis. How would this be possible?

RESOURCES

Duval, B., K. Shetty; and W.H. Thomas. 2000. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties in the snow alga chlamydomonas nivalis after exposure to UV light. Journal of Applied Phycology. 11:559-566.