Helmut Kramer, PhD

Professor
Neuroscience, Cell Biology
Graduate Program: Genetics and Development
Neuroscience

Contact Information

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390

Office Phone: 214-648-1800
Office Fax: 214-648-1801

helmut.kramer@utsouthwestern.edu

Biography

Education:
1985 University of Tuebingen, Germany;  Diplom in Biochemistry
1985 University of Cologne, Germany;  PhD, in Genetics

Professional Positions:
1989-1993 Postdoctoral Fellow Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA
1993-        Assistant Professor Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern
1998-        Faculty member, Center for Basic Neuroscience, UT Southwestern
2001-        Associate Professor Center for Basic Neuroscience, and
              Department of Cell Biology UT Southwestern
2001-        Associate Professor Department of Neuroscience UT Southwestern

2010 Professor Department of Neuroscience UT SouthwesternDepartment of Cell Biology UT Southwestern


Professional Activities:
Member Genetics Society of America
Member American Society for Cell Biology

Education

Graduate SchoolCologne University - Germany (1989)

Research Interests

Research in Dr. Kramer's lab focuses on the genetic and molecular dissection of late endocytic trafficking. The lab uses the Drosophila compound eye as a model system to identify mutations altering membrane traffic from the cell surface to different organelles. One class of genes, exemplified by deep orange and carnation, is necessary for the delivery of cargo to lysosomes and pigment granules.
The hook gene represents a second class of mutations necessary for normal lysosomal delivery. Hook proteins are a novel family of microtubule-binding proteins that play a role in the positioning of different organelles. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which these proteins effect membrane trafficking we are combining genetic and cell biological approaches in Drosophila and mammalian cells.

Publications

Featured
A role for the deep orange and carnation eye-color genes in lysosomal delivery in Drosophila

Sevrioukov, E., He, J.-P., Sunio, A, Moghrabi N. and Kramer H. , Molecular Cell , November 1999; (4):479-486

Featured
Interaction of bride of sevenless membrane-bound ligand and the sevenless tyrosine-kinase receptor.

Kramer, H., Cagan, R.L. and Zipursky, S.L. , Nature , May 1991; (352):207-212

Featured
The SM Protein Car/Vps33A is Necessary for SNARE-Mediated Trafficking to Lysosomes and Lysosome-Related Organelles

Akbar, M.A., Ray, S., and Kramer, H. , Mol Biol Cell , March 2009; (20):1705-1714

Featured
Genetic dissection of endocytic trafficking in Drosophila using a horseradish peroxidase-bride of sevenless chimera: hook is required for normal maturation of multivesicular endosomes

Sunio, A., Metcalf, A. and Kramer, H. , Mol. Biol. Cell , April 1999; (10):847-859

Featured
The full-of-bacteria gene is required for phagosome maturation during immune defense in Drosophila

Akbar, M.A., Tracy, C., Kahr, W. and Kramer, H. , The Journal of Cell Biology , 2011; (in press)

Drosophila acinus encodes a novel regulator of endocytic and autophagic trafficking

Haberman, AS, Akbar, MA, Ray, S., and Kramer, H , Development , May 2010; (137):2157-66

The Golgi-Associated Hook3 Protein is a Member of a Novel Family of Microtubule-Binding Proteins.

Walenta, J., Didier, A., Liu, X. and Kramer, H. , J. Cell Biol. , March 2001; (152):923-934

Hook2 localizes to the centrosome, binds directly to Centriolin/CEP110, and contributes to centrosomal function.

Szebenyi,, G., Hall B., Yu, R., Hashim A. I, and Kramer, H. , Traffic , 2007; (8):32-46

Drosophila Vps16A is required for trafficking to lysosomes and pigment granules biogenesis

Pulipparacharuvil, S., Akbar, A. Ray, S., Sevrioukov, E.A., Haberman A.S. and Kramer H , J. Cell Science , 2005; (118):3663-3673

A mutation in dVps28 reveals a link between the ESCRT-I complex and the actin cytoskeleton in Drosophila

Sevrioukov, E., Moghrabi, N., Kuhn, M., and Kramer, H. , Mol. Biol. Cell , 2005; (16):2301?2312

Honors/Awards

Fritz Thyssen Graduiertenkolleg

Predoctoral award (1985)