THE EFFECT OF FUR COAT COLOR MUTATIONS ON THE PARAMETERS OF ANTIOXIDANT AND DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS IN FOXES

The influence of genes that affect pelage color on the parameters of antioxidant and digestive systems in four fox genotypes: krasnaya roshchinskaya ( A / A B / B ), platinum ( b / b W P / w ), snow or Georgian white ( b / b W G / w ) and pearl ( b / b p / p ) was studied. It was found that there were differences between animals with different genotypes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes – superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as in the content of low-molecular-weight antioxidants – glutathione, vitamins A and E in liver, kidney and skeletal muscle. The genotypes mostly influenced low-molecular-weight antioxidants. High proteolytic activity, which is characteristic of carnivores, was observed in the pancreas of krasnaya roshchinskaya foxes, whose genotype is the closest to the wild type. At the same time, the high activity of amylase in the Georgian white mutation may be connected with adaptation of the digestive system to the absorption of food with higher content of carbohydrates. Discriminant analysis of all the examined parameters showed significant differences of the Georgian white and the pearl foxes. Thus, the pleiotropic effect of genes affecting fur coat color in foxes of the studied genotypes determines the peculiarities of antioxidant and digestive systems’ functioning, which are more expressed in the forms with weaker pigmentation. It is possible that pelage color mutations affect the biogenesis and function of secretory organelles thereby affecting all processes of intracellular transport.