Buy MOTS-c Research Peptide

MOTS-c (CAS 1627580-64-6), an abbreviation for Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA Type-c, is a synthetic 16-amino acid peptide with the molecular formula C101H152N28O22S2 and a molecular weight of 2,174.62 g/mol. Defined by the amino acid sequence Met-Arg-Trp-Gln-Glu-Met-Gly-Tyr-Ile-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Arg-Lys-Leu-Arg, MOTS-c is encoded within the 12S rRNA gene of mitochondrial DNA, a region not previously recognized as protein-coding. First characterized in 2015, it belongs to the mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) class. Produced via solid-phase peptide synthesis, MOTS-c is associated with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling and cellular metabolic regulation in preclinical research.

MOTS-c has been extensively investigated in preclinical metabolic research as the first mitochondrial-encoded peptide characterized in published studies as translocating to the cell nucleus and participating in transcriptional regulation. Its first 11 amino acid residues are highly conserved across mammalian species, a feature noted in the published literature as consistent with a preserved biological role within the mitochondrial signaling repertoire. In vivo mouse studies have investigated MOTS-c’s interaction with AMPK-dependent metabolic pathways via inhibition of the folate cycle and de novo purine biosynthesis, documenting that MOTS-c treatment prevented age-dependent and high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity [1]. In vivo mouse studies have shown that exogenous MOTS-c administration enhances physical performance in young, middle-aged, and old mice, and that intermittent treatment initiated late in life (at 23.5 months) increases physical capacity and healthspan in aged mice, while separate human data document that exercise induces a rise in endogenous MOTS-c expression in skeletal muscle and in the circulation, characterizing MOTS-c as an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis [2].

MOTS-c is produced to research-grade standards and independently verified by third-party HPLC and MS-UPLC analysis before dispatch. Vials are vacuum sealed and stored in a temperature controlled, monitored cold storage system. Certificates of Analysis are available to view and download directly on the product page.

Sold strictly for in vitro research purposes only. Not for human consumption. Intended for use by qualified researchers in laboratory settings only.

Scientific Review

Dr. Martina Rossi, PhD

Scientific Contributor and Reviewer

Reviewed for scientific accuracy, 11 August 2026

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