Biochem of Albino Defects

[Mendel's Balls]

An old thread on here (see http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23560&page=1&pp=10&highlight=total+albino+confusion)

titled "Total Albino confusion" discussed how no one has ever tested carmel albinos or regular albinos for tryosinase activity.

It is hypothesized however that regular albinos are Tyrosinase negative (T-) while carmel albinos are Tryosinase Positive (T+)



If carmels are T+, what is, in fact, albino about carmel albinos?

Has anyone actually tested them to verify if that they dont produce melanin?

What leads people to believe that they dont produce melanin? Couldnt their yellowish color be the result of more xanthopores or increased yellow pterdine synthesis?

This is why I prefer the term xanthic to carmel albino.

[elevatethis]

Whoa! What was that???

Oh yeah, something just flew way over my head.

[parabuzzle]

Yeah, like a lead ballon.

[Mendel's Balls]

Whoa! What was that???

Oh yeah, something just flew way over my head.

Albinos by defination dont produce melanin.

Melanin Sythesis is a multi-step metabolic pathway...tryosinase is the enzyme at the beginning of the pathway.

If the other enzymes are defective or regulated improperly melanin sythesis could also be affected....


Xanthophores are one of the three pigment cells in snake skin (we only have one...melanocytes)

The other two in snakes are melanophores and iridophores....see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore

Pteridine are pigments in xanthophores..they can be yellow or red.

[elevatethis]

i've got a 101 understanding of how it works. You are talking 300 level when you get into the chemistry behind it.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Albinos by defination dont produce melanin.

Melanin Sythesis is a multi-step metabolic pathway...tryosinase is the enzyme at the beginning of the pathway.

If the other enzymes are defective or regulated improperly melanin sythesis could also be affected....


Xanthophores are one of the three pigment cells in snake skin (we only have one...melanocytes)

The other two in snakes are melanophores and iridophores....see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore

Pteridine are pigments in xanthophores..they can be yellow or red.

Sounds like a typical conversation you over hear between breeders in Daytona at the bar in the Mark on Saturday night.

-adam

[Mendel's Balls]

Sounds like a typical conversation you over hear between breeders in Daytona at the bar in the Mark on Saturday night.

-adam

really? or are you just pulling my leg?

[Mendel's Balls]

i've got a 101 understanding of how it works. You are talking 300 level when you get into the chemistry behind it.

Here's most of the pathway....




I'd say what about organic chemistry? For those of you who like to stimulate your musical intelligence (not much here lol) See the Organic Chemistry song at

http://faculty.washington.edu/crowth...gs/music.shtml

[ddbjdealer]

If carmels are T+, what is, in fact, albino about carmel albinos?

Has anyone actually tested them to verify if that they dont produce melanin?

From what I have read... it's not that they don't PRODUCE melanin... it's that they don't posses the ability to synthesize it.... so it just kinda "runs" through it instead of being able to "clump" up..

DISCLAIMER: The above comments don't EVEN sound cool enough to be involved in threads that start off sounding so smart... But since Brad and Adam dumbed it up.... lol

[Mendel's Balls]

From what I have read... it's not that they don't PRODUCE melanin... it's that they don't posses the ability to synthesize it.... so it just kinda "runs" through it instead of being able to "clump" up..

DISCLAIMER: The above comments don't EVEN sound cool enough to be involved in threads that start off sounding so smart... But since Brad and Adam dumbed it up.... lol

I think I know what you mean.....melanin is molecule that exists in long chains...so they cant form the chains?

Still I would say that production and synthesis of functional melanin is the same thing.