Doc2 is not associated with known regulated exocytotic or endosomal compartments in adrenal chromaffin cells

Abstract

Doc2 is a C2-domain-containing protein that is highly expressed in the nervous system and has a constitutively expressed isoform. It has been implicated as a potential Ca2+ sensor in regulated exocytosis, and has been suggested to be associated with synaptic vesicles. To examine whether Doc2 is associated with synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) or dense-core granules in neuroendocrine cells, we examined the distribution of Doc2 in subcellular fractionation of chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla and in PC12 cells. Doc2 did not co-distribute with SLMVs from either cell type, but did appear to co-distribute with dense-core granules from PC12 cells. In contrast, it was not associated with the dense-core granules during subcellular fractionation of the adrenal medulla, and nor did it appear to be associated with endosomes, cis-Golgi or the trans-Golgi network. In contrast, Doc2 co-distributed under all conditions with a mitochondrial marker. We conclude that Doc2 is not a general component of regulated secretory vesicles, but may instead be associated with mitochondria.