The RhoGAP SPV-1 regulates calcium signaling to control the contractility of the Caenorhabditis elegans spermatheca during embryo transits

Abstract

Contractility of the nonmuscle and smooth muscle cells that comprise biological tubing is regulated by the Rho-ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) and calcium signaling pathways. Although many molecular details about these signaling pathways are known, less is known about how they are coordinated spatiotemporally in biological tubes. The spermatheca of the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive system enables study of the signaling pathways regulating actomyosin contractility in live adult animals. The RhoGAP (GTPase-­activating protein toward Rho family small GTPases) SPV-1 was previously identified as a negative regulator of RHO-1/Rho and spermathecal contractility. Here, we uncover a role for SPV-1 as a key regulator of calcium signaling. spv-1 mutants expressing the calcium indicator GCaMP in the spermatheca exhibit premature calcium release, elevated calcium levels, and disrupted spatial regulation of calcium signaling during spermathecal contraction. Although RHO-1 is required for spermathecal contractility, RHO-1 does not play a significant role in regulating calcium. In contrast, activation of CDC-42 recapitulates many aspects of spv-1 mutant calcium signaling. Depletion of cdc-42 by RNA interference does not suppress the premature or elevated calcium signal seen in spv-1 mutants, suggesting other targets remain to be identified. Our results suggest that SPV-1 works through both the Rho-ROCK and calcium signaling pathways to coordinate cellular contractility.