Name: MOTS-C 10mg
Brand: RetaLABS.is
SKU: mots-c-10mg

Question 1

What is MOTS-c used for in research?

Accepted Answer

MOTS-c (Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA type-c) is researched as a mitochondria-derived signalling peptide with systemic metabolic regulatory functions. It is one of a class of "mitokines" (peptides encoded within the mitochondrial genome that communicate mitochondrial metabolic status to other cellular compartments and distant tissues. In metabolic research, MOTS-c has been studied for its ability to improve insulin sensitivity in rodent models of high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance, with effects mediated through AMPK activation and downstream glucose transporter regulation. It has also been investigated as an exercise mimetic) MOTS-c levels increase in response to physical activity in animal and human studies, and exogenous administration has been shown to replicate some metabolic adaptations associated with aerobic exercise, including improved skeletal muscle glucose uptake. Longevity research has examined MOTS-c in the context of age-related metabolic decline and its role as an evolutionarily conserved retrograde signal from mitochondria.

Question 2

How does MOTS-c work as a metabolic regulator?

Accepted Answer

MOTS-c activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) (the cellular energy sensor that detects falling ATP:AMP ratios and responds by upregulating catabolic pathways (fatty acid oxidation, glycolysis) and downregulating anabolic pathways (fatty acid synthesis, gluconeogenesis). AMPK activation by MOTS-c has been documented in skeletal muscle and liver tissue in preclinical studies, where it correlates with improved insulin signalling and reduced hepatic lipid accumulation. Beyond AMPK, MOTS-c exerts transcriptional effects by translocating from mitochondria to the nucleus under metabolic stress conditions) a unique capability among mitochondria-derived peptides. In the nucleus, it modulates the expression of nuclear genes involved in metabolic adaptation, including components of the folate cycle and one-carbon metabolism, which influence nucleotide synthesis and cellular redox balance. This mitochondria-to-nucleus retrograde communication pathway positions MOTS-c as a mediator of mitochondrial contributions to nuclear gene expression changes observed during exercise, caloric restriction, and ageing.

Question 3

How should MOTS-c be stored?

Accepted Answer

Lyophilised MOTS-c should be stored at −20°C, protected from light and moisture. MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide with molecular weight of approximately 2.1 kDa (in the lyophilised state, it is stable for extended periods at −20°C when vial seals remain intact). Exposure to room temperature for brief periods during handling is acceptable, but vials should be returned to −20°C storage promptly after use. When ready to reconstitute, draw the required bacteriostatic water volume and inject slowly along the vial wall, swirling gently until dissolved. The reconstituted solution should be stored at 2–8°C and used within four weeks. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles of the reconstituted solution. If your protocol extends beyond four weeks, keep the bulk lyophilised frozen and reconstitute smaller working aliquots as needed. For very long-term storage, vacuum-sealed conditions at −20°C or −80°C will further extend lyophilised stability.

Question 4

What makes MOTS-c unique compared to other metabolic peptides?

Accepted Answer

MOTS-c is unique among metabolic peptides in several fundamental respects. First, it is encoded within the mitochondrial genome rather than the nuclear genome, a rare property shared by only a handful of identified peptides. This positions it as a direct molecular messenger of mitochondrial metabolic status, rather than a neuropeptide or hormone that secondarily influences mitochondrial function. Second, its ability to translocate from mitochondria to the nucleus under metabolic stress gives it a retrograde signalling role that most metabolic peptides lack, it physically moves between compartments to deliver information about mitochondrial status to the nuclear gene regulatory machinery. Third, its evolutionary conservation across mammalian species suggests a fundamental biological role preserved through deep evolutionary time. These combined properties, mitochondrial origin, retrograde signalling, nuclear transcriptional modulation, and AMPK activation, make MOTS-c a research subject of interest across metabolic disease, ageing, exercise biology, and mitochondrial medicine simultaneously.

MOTS-C 10mg

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