What Is MOTS-c?
Last reviewed:
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) — a short peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA, in the 12S rRNA region. It is studied in scientific research as a reference compound for investigating mitochondrial function and metabolic regulation. MOTS-c is an investigational compound and is not an approved medicine.
How is MOTS-c classified and what is its structure?
MOTS-c is a small peptide (approximately 16 amino acids) encoded by the mitochondrial genome, within the 12S rRNA region — one of a class of mitochondrial-derived peptides identified in cellular-biology research.
How is MOTS-c’s mechanism studied in research?
Published research investigates MOTS-c in relation to:
- Metabolic-stress signalling in study models.
- The AMPK pathway, a central regulator of cellular energy metabolism.
- Mitochondrial function and cellular-energy homeostasis, including nuclear translocation under metabolic stress.
These statements describe the published scientific record; they are not claims about any effect in humans.
What kind of research has been published on MOTS-c?
MOTS-c was first described in 2015 as a mitochondrial-derived peptide, with subsequent primary research on its AMPK-dependent nuclear translocation under metabolic stress and review articles summarising its role in mitochondrial biology. The literature continues to develop: a 2023 review in the Journal of Translational Medicine summarised proposed mechanisms across metabolic-stress models, and a 2026 study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine examined MOTS-c in relation to muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics in a PGC-1α/AMPK-dependent laboratory model. Much of the literature is preclinical. References are listed below.
What compounds is MOTS-c studied alongside?
MOTS-c belongs to the mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) family and is routinely studied alongside humanin and the small humanin-like peptides (SHLP1–6) — peptides encoded in the same mitochondrial genome regions and often measured together in exercise-physiology and metabolic research. These groupings describe how the peptides are classified in published research; they do not imply equivalence between compounds or any human-use indication.
How is MOTS-c supplied, tested and handled?
Lazarus Labs supplies MOTS-c as a lyophilised reference material, independently tested to 99%+ purity, with a batch Certificate of Analysis (COA). Store cold and protected from light, per standard laboratory practice.
References
- Lee C, Zeng J, Drew BG, et al. Cell Metabolism. 2015. PMID: 25738459.
- Kim KH, Son JM, Benayoun BA, Lee C. Cell Metabolism. 2018. PMID: 29983246.
- Zheng Y, Wei Z, Wang T. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2023. PMID: 36761202.
- Wan W, et al. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2023. PMID: 36670507.
- Gudiksen A, et al. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2026. PMID: 41520850.
Primary literature, verified against PubMed/PMC; much of it preclinical. Citations are provided for scientific reference and do not imply any human-use indication.
Important
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. MOTS-c is an investigational compound and is not an approved therapeutic good. Lazarus Labs supplies it solely as a laboratory reference material and makes no therapeutic, medical or performance claims. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a recommendation to administer this compound to humans or animals.