MOTS-c
A mitochondrial-encoded peptide linked to metabolism and exercise biology.
EndogenousPreclinical
Identity
- Class
- Mitochondrial-derived peptide (16 aa, encoded in 12S rRNA)
- Source
- Encoded in mitochondrial DNA
- Receptor
- No classical receptor; acts via AMPK and metabolic signaling
Mechanism
MOTS-c is a short peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA that signals to the rest of the cell, acting partly through AMPK to influence glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. In animal studies it behaves as an exercise-mimetic, though human evidence remains early.
Reference notes
- It is encoded in mitochondrial — not nuclear — DNA, an unusual origin for a signaling peptide.
- It acts substantially through AMPK and metabolic-stress pathways rather than a single surface receptor.
- Evidence is largely preclinical; human metabolic roles are still being mapped.
Selected literature
Curated peer-reviewed reviews, sourced from PubMed. Selected for relevance, not exhaustive — open any entry on PubMed for the full record and its primary citations.
- 1.MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic exploitation · Frontiers in endocrinology, 2023 · PMID 36761202
- 2.MOTS-c, the Most Recent Mitochondrial Derived Peptide in Human Aging and Age-Related Diseases · International journal of molecular sciences, 2022 · PMID 36233287