A mitochondrial-encoded peptide linked to metabolism and exercise biology. Structurally it is Mitochondrial-derived peptide (16 aa, encoded in 12S rRNA).

How strong is the evidence for MOTS-c?

PeptideHormone grades MOTS-c at the "Preclinical" evidence tier — the evidence is largely animal or in-vitro, with human data thin or absent. It is catalogued as an endogenous signal the body produces itself, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.

What is the half-life of MOTS-c?

The reported circulating half-life of MOTS-c is Poorly characterized (short in circulation).

MOTS-c

A mitochondrial-encoded peptide linked to metabolism and exercise biology.

EndogenousPreclinical

Encoded by the mitochondrion rather than the nucleus. The cell's other genome turns out to be writing signals of its own.

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

Key properties

Evidence floorCommunityREF1COMM1

Molecular weight

~2,174.6 Da

REF

Half-life (native)

Poorly characterized (short in circulation)

COMMHalf-life is poorly characterized in humans. The figure is indicative of order-of-magnitude, not an established value.

Approximate values for the native hormone; engineered analogs are often deliberately larger and far longer-acting. Each figure carries its own provenance tier, and the floor is the weakest of them - the Standard.

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.

Common questions

What is MOTS-c?: A mitochondrial-encoded peptide linked to metabolism and exercise biology. Structurally it is Mitochondrial-derived peptide (16 aa, encoded in 12S rRNA).
How does MOTS-c work?: 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.
How strong is the evidence for MOTS-c?: PeptideHormone grades MOTS-c at the "Preclinical" evidence tier — the evidence is largely animal or in-vitro, with human data thin or absent. It is catalogued as an endogenous signal the body produces itself, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.
What is the half-life of MOTS-c?: The reported circulating half-life of MOTS-c is Poorly characterized (short in circulation).

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

External references

MOTS-c in the public knowledge graph — the same entity resolved across the authoritative chemistry and protein databases.