MOTS-C

In plain terms

MOTS-C is encoded by the DNA inside mitochondria, which makes it unusual. Animal and cell research has examined it for effects on how cells use glucose and on exercise-related metabolism.

Research overview

MOTS-C is a mitochondria-derived peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome. Research has identified it as a novel regulator of metabolic function and cellular stress response. Laboratory studies have investigated its role in insulin sensitivity, exercise physiology, and aging-related metabolic research models.

What has been studied

1. 1

   Coded by the mitochondria themselves

   MOTS-c is unusual — it is encoded in mitochondrial DNA rather than in the cell nucleus, one of a small number of peptides known to work that way.

2. 2

   Metabolic regulation

   Mouse studies have investigated its effect on insulin sensitivity and glucose handling, particularly in muscle tissue.

3. 3

   Exercise and stress response

   Research has measured how MOTS-c levels change with physical stress, and looked at the AMPK pathway as the proposed mechanism.

4. 4

   Ageing research

   Levels have been observed to decline with age in several models.

Research articles

• Genome-Wide Identification, Cloning and Functional Analysis of the Zinc/Iron-Regulated Transporter-Like Protein (ZIP) Gene Family in Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf.)Frontiers in plant science · 2017
• The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistanceCell metabolism · 2015