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Abstract

Current global scientific advances in molecular genetics have focused researchers on new methods and approaches for genetic research based on direct DNA analysis, as the basis of animal heredity and variability, including those of agricultural value. Among the fur animals kept in captivity, the common fox and the silver-black fox, as its melanistic form, are one of the promising objects of study using molecular genetic methods. To date, much of the experimental data has been accumulated in the literature, revealing the nature and widespread use of DNA markers to assess the genetic diversity of different farm animals. Instead, such studies began to be implemented in fur-breeding in comparison with other livestock industries not too long ago, and there were only isolated reports regarding the assessment of DNA polymorphism.
As part of the research, 54 fox were analyzed, from which samples of biological material (pieces of skin with fur) were taken, and spectra of amplification fragments were obtained according to two ISSR markers (ISSR1 and ISSR2) and six – RAPD (ОРG-04, ОРG-07, ОРG-17, M-9, M-15, ОPЕ -4). The analysis of the obtained results revealed the significant polymorphism of each of the ISSR markers used in the experimental group of foxes. In each case (sample) there were certain spectra of amplification fragments. The amplification fragments for each of the RAPD markers used in the study were characterized by different numbers and sizes, and in the vast majority of samples analyzed, specific spectra (set of loci) in almost each subject in the study group were also detected.
It should be noted that using polylocus DNA markers, a high level of genomic variability of the experimental group of foxes has been established, which indicates a sufficient degree of its population biodiversity, despite the fact that it breeds within a confined population and does not have a blood flow.

References

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