Calmodulin transmitted through gap junctions stimulates endocytic incorporation of yolk precursors in insect oocytes

In ovarian follicles of Oncopeltus fasciatus, and of Xylocopa virginica, calmodulin (CaM) of epithelial cell origin is required by oocytes for endocytic uptake of yolk precursor molecules. Furthermore, this 17–19 kDa protein is normally transported to the oocytes via gap junctions. Downregulation of gap junctions by treatment with 1 mM octanol or separation of the epithelial cells from their oocytes terminated precursor uptake, and this activity could be rescued by microinjection of 60 μM CaM, but not by injections of incubation medium, nor solutions of other molecular species tested. That endogenous CaM is required was confirmed by incubating otherwise untreated follicles in physiological salt solution (PSS) containing either calmidazolium or W-7, both known antagonists of CaM. By radioimmunoprecipitation, we show that the epithelial cells surrounding an oocyte synthesized 15 times as much calmodulin as did the oocytes they encircled. Neither octanol-treated follicles nor denuded oocytes incubated in medium containing calmodulin were able to resume endocytosis, arguing against an extracellular route. However, fluorescently labeled calmodulin microinjected into oocytes is shown to have crossed through gap junctions, making epithelial cells distinctly fluorescent.