Abstract
A rabbit antiserum specific for Tetrahymena calmodulin was prepared and characterized: In Ouchterlony's immunodiffusion test, the antiserum gave rise to a single precipitin line only with calmodulin in the reaction with crude Tetrahymena extract and the antiserum cross-reacted with a calmodulin fraction from Paramecium, but not with several calmodulin fractions, from higher organisms. Calmodulins from the ciliates appear to share some antigenic determinants which are absent in calmodulins from higher organisms. The intracellular localization of calmodulin was investigated by indirect immunofluorescent method using anti- Tetrahymena calmodulin antibody purified on an antigen-Sepharose affinity column. Immunofluorescence was localized in the oral apparatus, cilia, basal bodies, the anterior end of the cell, and the contractile vacuole pores. The localization suggested involvement of calmodulin in food vacuole formation (nutrient uptake), excretion of contractile vacuole contents (regulation of osmotic pressure), and in ciliary movement (reversal). The suggestion was supported by the observation that trifluoperazine markedly suppressed food vacuole formation and excretion of contractile vacuole contents and affected the ciliary motion.
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