MOTS-c

MOTS-c Overview

MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded within the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene rather than in nuclear DNA, placing it among the small group of mitochondrial-derived peptides. It is studied for its role in signalling between the mitochondria and the rest of the cell, a direction of research that treats the mitochondrial genome as a source of regulatory molecules and not solely of respiratory chain components. Preclinical work has examined the peptide in models of metabolic regulation and cellular stress response.

History

MOTS-c was described in 2015, following work that searched the mitochondrial genome for short open reading frames capable of encoding functional peptides. Its identification extended a line of research begun with humanin, the first mitochondrial-derived peptide to be characterised, and supported the view that the mitochondrial genome encodes regulatory signals as well as respiratory machinery. Research since has focused on the peptide in preclinical metabolic models. It remains an investigational compound studied in laboratory settings.

MOTS-c Structure

CAS #:

1627580-64-6

Molecular Formula:

C₁₄₉H₂₆₀N₄₆O₄₆S₂

Molecular Weight:

2171.5 g/mol

PubChem ID:

91808068