MOTS-c: form, reconstitution and storage

Physical form

MOTS-c is supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in a sealed vial. It is a linear 16-amino-acid peptide, readily soluble in aqueous media thanks to its charged residues. The reagent carries RUO labelling — for laboratory research use only.

Reconstitution chemistry

The dry peptide is reconstituted by adding solvent slowly down the vial wall rather than as a jet directly onto the pellet. A standard choice for water-soluble research peptides is bacteriostatic water (water for injection with 0.9% benzyl alcohol) or sterile water/a suitable aqueous buffer. Swirl the vial until fully dissolved; avoid vigorous shaking, which causes foaming and denaturation. Concentration (e.g. mg/mL) is calculated to fit the working-aliquot volumes of the specific protocol. Because of the two methionine residues, contact with oxidants during preparation should be minimised.

Storage of lyophilized vs reconstituted material

Unopened lyophilate is stored frozen and protected from light; as a dry solid the peptide is stable for long periods. Once reconstituted, the solution is kept refrigerated and used within a short window. For longer storage, dispense the solution into single-use aliquots and freeze, to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles — these are the largest driver of quality loss.

Stability

The main degradation routes are oxidation of the methionine residues, hydrolysis at room temperature, and mechanical stress (foam, repeated thawing). Practical measures: aliquoting, working cold, protecting from light, and minimising freeze-thaw cycles. The exact shelf life of a reconstituted solution is best determined empirically for your own conditions (buffer, pH, temperature).

Lab handling

Work under aseptic conditions with sterile tips and glassware. For quantitative work it helps to confirm the batch concentration and identity against the accompanying certificate of analysis (HPLC, mass spectrometry). Keep records of batch, reconstitution date, and aliquot storage conditions.

Research applications

MOTS-c is used in basic research on mitochondrial biology, energy metabolism (the AMPK pathway), mitochondria-to-nucleus signalling, and the biology of ageing in cell and animal models. The reagent is intended solely for laboratory research; no instructions for human use are provided.