What Is MOTS-c? The Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide Explained
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded not in the cell nucleus but in mitochondrial DNA — which is unusual and is a big part of why it has drawn so much research attention since it was first described in 2015.
A PEPTIDE FROM THE MITOCHONDRIA
Mitochondria are best known as the cell’s energy producers, but they also carry a small genome of their own. MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c) is one of a handful of “mitochondrial-derived peptides” identified in that genome. Research suggests it can act as a signaling molecule, communicating between the mitochondria and the rest of the cell.
WHAT RESEARCHERS ARE STUDYING
Most published work so far is preclinical (cell and animal models). Areas of interest include:
- Metabolic regulation and glucose handling
- Insulin sensitivity in models of diet-induced metabolic stress
- Cellular energy homeostasis and the AMPK pathway
- Exercise physiology and age-related metabolic decline
HANDLING MOTS-C IN THE LAB
MOTS-c is supplied as a lyophilized powder. Store unopened vials refrigerated, reconstitute with bacteriostatic water using the gentle technique in our reconstitution guide, and keep the solution refrigerated afterward.
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This guide is for informational and laboratory research purposes only. PrimeSyns products are not intended for human consumption, and nothing here is medical advice.
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