Doc2b Is a High-Affinity Ca²⁺ Sensor for Spontaneous Neurotransmitter Release

Abstract

Synaptic vesicle fusion in brain synapses occurs in phases that are either tightly coupled to action potentials ( synchronous), immediately following action potentials (asynchronous), or as stochastic events in the absence of action potentials (spontaneous). Synaptotagmin-1, -2, and -9 are vesicle-associated Ca²⁺ sensors for synchronous release. Here we found that double C2 domain (Doc2) proteins act as Ca²⁺ sensors to trigger spontaneous release. Although Doc2 proteins are cytosolic, they function analogously to synaptotagmin-1 but with a higher Ca²⁺ sensitivity. Doc2 proteins bound to N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) complexes in competition with synaptotagmin-1. Thus, different classes of multiple C2 domain-containing molecules trigger synchronous versus spontaneous fusion, which suggests a general mechanism for synaptic vesicle fusion triggered by the combined actions of SNAREs and multiple C2 domain-containing proteins.