The occurrence activity and localization of calmodulin in three heterocystous cyanobacteria of the genus Anabaena were studied. Boiled crude extracts caused a Ca2+‐dependent stimulation of NAD kinase. Such a stimulation was blocked by EGTA and chlorpromazine. SDS‐PAGE and Western blot analysis using antiserum against eukaryotic spinach calmodulin, revealed a polypeptide of about 17 kDa. Immunogold localization of calmodulin gave a dense gold label both vegetative cells and heterocysts. The label was mainly confined to the centroplasm in vegetative cells, while it was evenly distributed in the cytoplasm of mature heterocysts.