MOTS-C
MOTS-c is a peptide of 16 amino acids whose code was found in the mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside cells.
Where it came from
MOTS-c was discovered by Changhan David Lee and colleagues in Pinchas Cohen's lab at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and published in the journal Cell Metabolism in 2015.
The surprise was where it came from: the mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside cells, which carry a small set of genes of their own. Its code sat inside a mitochondrial gene that scientists had long assumed made no protein at all.
Worth knowing
- The name is an acronym for the spot in the mitochondria's genes where its code was found.
- It is a chain of 16 amino acids.
- It belongs to a small family called mitochondrial-derived peptides: peptides coded by the mitochondria's own genes rather than by the main genes in the cell's nucleus.
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Chain length | 16 amino acids |
| Chemical formula | C101H152N28O22S2 |
| Weight of one molecule | 2174.6 g/mol |
| Form | Freeze-dried powder |
| Storage | Sealed in a freezer at -20 °C, away from light |
Weight is shown in grams per mole (g/mol), the standard unit chemists use. It's the number a lab checks a sample against to confirm it's the right compound.
Lab reports
Every batch (called a lot) of MOTS-C is tested by an independent lab. The report shows the lab, the test date, the lot number, how pure the sample is and how much is in the vial. Find them on the Certificates of Analysis page. New to lab reports? Start with How to read a peptide lab report.
The weight above is for the compound on its own. A report may show a slightly higher figure, because the powder also carries a little salt left from manufacturing. Peptide salt forms explains why.
Storage
Keep the vial sealed in a freezer at -20 °C, away from light, and let it warm to room temperature before opening so moisture doesn't get in. More in Storing lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptides in the lab and the Research handling guidelines.
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.