Calcium-binding parvalbumin in Drosophila testis in connection with in vivo irradiation.

Assuming a possible role of calcium in the function of the germinal proliferation centre in the testis of Drosophila melanogaster, the distribution of Ca2+-binding protein parvalbumin and structural related proteins in male gonads was tested by several biochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The two dimensional PAGE analysis on 3000 gonads of pupal stages suggests the presence of parvalbumin in this tissue. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed this finding. Parvalbumin-immunoreactivity was located in (or near) membraneous systems, like mitochondria and (or) microtubuli. The immunohistochemical analysis of irradiated gonads showed no radiation damage effect on the distribution of parvalbumin in certain cells and cell components.