GAMMA-TUBULIN IS TRANSIENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DROSOPHILA OOCYTE MEIOTIC APPARATUS

Evidence of a distinct microtubule organizing center in the meiotic ap paratus of the fertilized Drosophila egg is provided by means of speci fic antibodies. This center contained gamma-tubulin and CP190 antigens and nucleated a transient array of radial microtubules. When the eggs were incubated with the microtubule-depolymerizing drug colchicine, g amma-tubulin became undetectable in correspondence with the meiotic ch romosomes, whereas it was visible near the sperm nucleus. Since the ma in difference between male and female microtubule organizing centers w as the presence/absence of the centrioles, we propose that these organ elles were mainly involved in the spatial organization of the microtub ule nucleating material.