MOTS-c: the mitochondrial-derived peptide explained
MOTS-c is a 16-residue peptide encoded inside mitochondrial DNA. Its discovery in 2015 helped establish a new class of signalling molecules, the mitochondrial-derived peptides.
A peptide encoded in mitochondria
Nearly all proteins are encoded in the nuclear genome. MOTS-c is different: it comes from a short open reading frame inside the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene (MT-RNR1). Changhan Lee and colleagues in Pinchas Cohen’s laboratory reported it in Cell Metabolism in 2015.
Chemistry
- Sequence: MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR (16 residues)
- Molecular formula: C101H152N28O22S2
- Molecular weight: about 2174.6 g/mol
- CAS: 1627580-64-6
The sequence contains two methionines, which can oxidize. A mass about 16 or 32 units above expected on a mass spectrum can indicate oxidation.
Main themes in the literature
- Metabolic signalling. The discovery paper studied cultured cells and diet-induced obesity in mice, pointing to AMPK and the folate cycle (Lee et al., Cell Metab, 2015).
- Exercise and aging. Aged-mouse studies, with MOTS-c measured in plasma and muscle around exercise (Reynolds et al., Nat Commun, 2021).
- Cardiac models. Diabetic rat myocardial injury (Tang et al., Sci Rep, 2023).
- Reviews. Mohtashami et al., Int J Mol Sci, 2022; Wan et al., J Transl Med, 2023.
Related reading
For another molecule central to mitochondrial research, see the NAD+ profile in our catalog. For checking a lot, see HPLC purity.
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For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. This guide summarizes published scientific literature for context. It is not medical advice and does not describe any product as suitable for human use.