MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-encoded interferon-linked host defense peptide.

MOTS-c, a mitochondrial-encoded peptide, exhibits potent antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions, neutralizing MRSA and reprogramming immune cells in mice and humans.

• Why it matters: Understanding mitochondrial contributions to immune defense could reveal new mechanisms and therapeutic targets, challenging the view that immune factors are solely nuclear-encoded.
• What they did: Researchers identified MOTS-c as a mitochondrial-encoded host defense peptide with direct antibacterial activity and immune modulation, demonstrating its effects in vitro and in vivo, including mouse models and human monocytes.
• The result: MOTS-c enhances bacterial clearance, shifts immune cell metabolism, and is induced by immune signals, establishing it as a novel mitochondrial-encoded immune factor that broadens our understanding of host defense systems.