Author

Orianna H. Kou

University of Southern California

Listed by name: these papers carry no ORCID for this author, so different people with the same name may be mixed together.

Biology Disciplines

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Biophysics· 5

Signature Assays, Organisms & Methods

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Approach:experimental assay· 4 Research Focus:cell signaling & trafficking· 3 Assay:fluorescence / live-cell microscopy· 2 Approach:statistical model· 2 Organism:human· 1 Approach:microscopy & imaging analysis· 1 Assay:proteomics· 1 Approach:simulation· 1

Frequent Co-Authors

Wade F. ZenoiD· 5 shared David H. JohnsoniD· 3 shared B J Kim· 2 shared Stephanie Y. Ramirez· 2 shared Ahmed Shubbar· 1 shared Alessandro UstioneiD· 1 shared Antonis Margaritakis· 1 shared Cailyn M. Sakurai· 1 shared

Activity by Year

2025-2026 · peak 4/yr

Co-Author Collaboration Network

10 top collaborators · 22 mutual co-author links

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5 shared papersBiophysics

Wade F. ZenoORCID

Mutual co-authors in cluster

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5 papers

Recent·Most cited

Dimer opening enables brain-type creatine kinase to sense membrane curvature

Samantha L. Gies, Nolan McLaughlin, Orianna H. Kou, Ahmed Shubbar, Chen Kong, Tianqi Wu, Sana Khan, Alessandro Ustione, Ian Miller, David W. Piston, Mahmoud Moradi, Michael L. Gross, Wade F. Zeno, Reza Dastvan

This study identifies dimer opening in CK-BB as a mechanism for sensing membrane curvature and regulating ATP regeneration under acidic conditions and substrate binding.

bioRxiv · Sep 22, 2026 · PreprintBiophysics

Membrane Phase, Charge, and Curvature Regulate α-Synuclein Binding Dynamics

Orianna H. Kou, Cailyn M. Sakurai, Stephanie Y. Ramirez, B J Kim, D L Johnson, Zixin Zhang, Christopher T. Lee, Wade F. Zeno

This study investigates how membrane phase, charge, and curvature jointly regulate α-synuclein binding dynamics using experimental and simulation methods.

Langmuir · Aug 21, 2026Peer-reviewedBiophysics

Cholesterol differentially regulates α-synuclein binding across membrane packing regimes

Orianna H. Kou, B J Kim, David H. Johnson, Wade F. Zeno

This study shows cholesterol's effect on α-synuclein binding depends on membrane packing state, with cholesterol reducing, enhancing, or having little effect based on lipid composition and curvature.

Biophysical Reports · Aug 10, 2026Peer-reviewedBiophysics

The disordered and structured regions of α-Synuclein contribute to membrane remodeling synergistically

David H. Johnson, Jia Shiuan Liow, Orianna H. Kou, Wade F. Zeno

This study shows that α-Synuclein's structured N-terminal domain and disordered C-terminal domain work together to enhance membrane remodeling through synergistic electrostatic and curvature effects.

bioRxiv · Mar 20, 2026 · PreprintBiophysics

Lipid Packing Defects are Necessary and Sufficient for Membrane Binding of alpha-Synuclein

David H. Johnson, Orianna H. Kou, John M. White, Stephanie Y. Ramirez, Antonis Margaritakis, Peter J. Chung, Vance W. Jaeger, Wade F. Zeno

This study shows that N-terminal acetylation of alpha-synuclein reduces its dependence on anionic lipids for membrane binding, demonstrating that membrane packing defects alone can drive binding.

Communications Biology · Aug 7, 2025Peer-reviewedBiophysics