MOTS-c Research: A Peptide Encoded in Mitochondrial DNA
UpdatedMOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, which puts it in the group called mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs). Most peptides are studied by working inward from a known effect; MOTS-c came out of asking which small proteins the mitochondrial genome itself makes. It's studied as a signaling molecule connecting mitochondria to the metabolism of the whole cell. This is an educational summary for laboratory reference only.
A peptide coded by the mitochondria
The paper that first identified MOTS-c reported that it promoted metabolic homeostasis and countered diet-induced obesity in mice, working partly through the AMPK pathway, one of the cell's main energy sensors (Lee et al., Cell Metab, 2015). That AMPK connection runs through most of the metabolic research that followed.
Exercise and aging
Later work described MOTS-c as induced by exercise and as a regulator of age-dependent physiology, with reported effects on physical capacity in animal models (Reynolds et al., 2021). That's part of the reason it comes up in aging research and in research on physical capacity.
A growing body of work
Reviews now treat MOTS-c as a mitochondrial-derived peptide of wide interest to metabolic research, summarizing its signaling roles and the questions still open (Zheng, Wei & Wang, Front Endocrinol, 2023).
Note: the evidence on MOTS-c is preclinical. Research material is for laboratory research use only, not for human or veterinary use.
FAQ
Why is MOTS-c called a "mitochondrial-derived peptide"?
Because it is encoded in the mitochondria's own DNA rather than in the cell's nuclear genome. That makes it part of a small but distinct class of signaling peptides.
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References
For research use only. Nothing on Chemical Messenger is medical advice or a recommendation for human use.