Transient, phorbol ester-induced DOC2-Munc13 interactions in vivo

Munc13-1 and DOC2 have been implicated in the regulation of exocytosis, Her e we demonstrate in vivo that these two proteins undergo a transient phorbo l ester-mediated and protein kinase C-independent interaction, resulting in the translocation of DOC2 from a vesicular localization to the plasma memb rane. The translocation of DOC2 is dependent upon the DOC2 Munc interacting domain that binds specifically to Munc13-1, whereas the association of DOC 2 with intracellular membranes is dependent on its C2 domains. This is the first direct in vivo demonstration of a protein-protein interaction between two presynaptic proteins and may represent a molecular basis for phorbol e ster-dependent enhancement of exocytosis.