![]() The reduction in melanin allows produces an exaggerated red appearance.Īll albino mutations are recessively inherited. This allows for the production of red, yellow, gray, brown, and white pigmentation. These animals have melanophores which synthesize a functional tyrosinase enzyme and produce melanin, however, the deposit of this melanin into melanophores is highly impaired. The second type of albino mutation is the tyrosinase positive mutations. With only the xanthophores, erythrophores, and leucophores producing pigmentation these animals are often yellow in appearance with red eyes. The melanophores in these albinos do not synthesize the tyrosinase enzyme and thus do not produce melanin. The first type of albino mutation is the tyrosinase negative mutation, this is the more severe form. Other types of chromatophores found in snakes include xanthophores (yellow pigments), erythrophores (red pigments), leucophores (white pigments), these cell pigmentation cells are not affected by any tyrosinase mutations. These melanophores produce brown and black pigmentation giving the snake its base coloration. Dopaquinone is modified into melanin and deposited into dermal and epidermal melanophores. ![]() Tyrosinase is an enzyme produced by melanophores (a type of chromatophore aka a pigmentation cell) which converts the amino acid tyrosine into dopa and then into dopaquinone. There are two mutations which result in the albino phenotype due to a mutated tyrosinase enzyme. Oculocutaneous albinism is an autosomal recessive mutation which results in the absence or decrease of melanin, producing a yellowish snake sometimes with red eyes.
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