Tobias S. Ulmer

Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute
Keck School of Medicine

Research Topics

  1. Signal Transduction
  2. Aging and Associated Diseases
  3. Membrane Proteins
  4. Structural Biology

Research Overview

The main focus of my research is the study of proteins that are embedded in the cell membrane or associate with its surface (membrane proteins) using NMR spectroscopy to elucidate their 3D structures at atomic resolution. By controlling the exchange of information and metabolites between cells and the extracellular matrix membrane proteins regulate critical biological processes such as cell adhesion, development and signaling. Malfunction and misfolding of membrane proteins are often associated with prevalent diseases such as cancer and Parkinson?s and most pharmaceutical drugs target membrane proteins.

Recently, we have determined the structure of micelle-bound a-synuclein as well two of its mutant forms known to elicit Parkinson?s disease, contributing to a better understanding of the physiological state of a-synuclein and alterations in the mutant forms as well as a-synuclein-membrane interaction and immersion. Future research will also focus on peptides involved in Alzheimer?s disease and the mechanism of transmembrane signaling through heterodimeric receptors.

Selected Publications

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Ulmer TS, Bax A. Comparison of structure and dynamics of micelle-bound human alpha-synuclein and Parkinson disease variants. J. Biol. Chem. 2005; 280: 43179-43187

Ulmer TS, Bax A, Cole N, Nussbaum R. Structure and dynamics of micelle-bound human alpha-synuclein. J. Biol. Chem. 2005; 280: 9595-9603

Ulmer TS, Campbell ID, Boyd J. Amide Proton Relaxation Measurements Employing a Highly Deuterated Protein. J. Magn. Reson. 2004; 166: 190-201

Ulmer TS, Soelaiman S, Li SP, Klee CB, Tang WJ, Bax A. Calcium dependence of the interaction between calmodulin and anthrax edema factor. J. Biol. Chem. 2003; 278: 29261-29266

Ulmer TS, Ramirez BE, Delaglio F, Bax A. Evaluation of backbone proton positions and dynamics in a small protein by liquid crystal NMR spectroscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003; 125: 9179-9191

Ulmer TS, Calderwood DA, Ginsberg MH, Campbell LD. Domain-specific interactions of Talin with the membrane-proximal region of the integrin beta 3 subunit. Biochemistry 2003; 42: 8307-8312

Garcia-Alvarez B, de Pereda JM, Calderwood DA, Ulmer TS, Critchley D, Campbell ID, Ginsberg MH, Liddington RC. Structural determinants of integrin recognition by Talin. Mol. Cell 2003; 11: 49-58