Peptide reference
MOTS-c
Last reviewed · Written by the PepCycle team
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA rather than the cell nucleus — one of a small family known as mitochondrial-derived peptides. It has been studied in animal models of metabolic regulation and exercise physiology. It is supplied as lyophilised vials, commonly 5 mg or 10 mg, and is not an approved medicine.
What MOTS-c is
Mitochondria carry their own small genome, separate from the DNA in the cell nucleus. In 2015 researchers described a short peptide encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene and named it MOTS-c — mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c. It belongs to a small family of mitochondrial-derived peptides that also includes humanin.
The research interest concerns metabolic regulation: published work in mice reports effects on insulin sensitivity and metabolic homeostasis, and MOTS-c has been discussed in the context of exercise physiology. This is an active but early field, and the gap between mouse metabolic findings and human outcomes is historically wide.
- Mitochondrial-derived peptide
- A peptide whose coding sequence lies in mitochondrial DNA rather than in the cell nucleus. Only a handful are known, and they were discovered relatively recently because short open reading frames in the mitochondrial genome were long overlooked.
How it is supplied and stored
MOTS-c is supplied as a lyophilised powder in 5 mg or 10 mg vials, handled like other research peptides: cold, dark storage for the sealed vial; reconstitution with bacteriostatic water; refrigeration and a shorter window afterwards.
Because it is a newer compound with fewer established suppliers, provenance information is worth recording in more detail than usual — supplier, lot number, any certificate of analysis reference, and the date received.
Research status
MOTS-c has no approved human indication anywhere. The published literature is overwhelmingly preclinical — cell studies and rodent models — with a small number of human observational papers on endogenous MOTS-c levels. Administering it is not a studied intervention in humans, and "no known side effects" reflects an absence of investigation.
It has appeared in anti-doping discussions as a metabolic modulator. As always, check the current prohibited list for your sport rather than assuming a newer compound is unlisted.
What to record
- Supplier, lot, and any analysis certificate — provenance matters most where standards are least established.
- Vial mg, water volume, reconstitution date.
- Amount per entry in a single consistent unit.
- Observations with timestamps, since with an unstudied compound your own record is the only data that exists about your experience.
Frequently asked questions
What does MOTS-c stand for?
Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c. The name describes where its coding sequence sits — inside the mitochondrial genome rather than the cell nucleus.
Is there human research on MOTS-c?
Very little involving administration. Most published work is in cells and rodent models, with some human observational studies measuring naturally occurring MOTS-c levels. There is no approved human indication and no established human safety profile.
How should I log a compound with almost no research behind it?
More carefully, not less. Record provenance in full (supplier, lot, certificate), keep amounts and timings exact, and log observations with timestamps — because your log is the only dataset that exists about your own experience with it.
Related pages
Track MOTS-c without re-doing the maths
Enter the vial once — mass, diluent volume, lot, date — and every entry after that converts automatically between mcg, mL and syringe units, with the vial counting down as you log.
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