This class collects compounds from research on cellular energy and redox biology: MOTS-c, a peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA; NAD+, the central redox cofactor; reduced glutathione, the cell’s main antioxidant; and 5-Amino-1MQ, a small molecule that inhibits the enzyme NNMT. Two of the four are not peptides, and the pages say so.
Mitochondrial & NAD+ Research
Mitochondrial & NAD+ Research
What is in this class?
Mitochondria make most of a cell's energy, and NAD+ is the cofactor that carries electrons through that process and also feeds enzymes such as sirtuins and CD38. This class groups four research compounds that sit on that pathway. MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA region. NAD+ is the dinucleotide itself. Glutathione is a tripeptide (γ-Glu-Cys-Gly) and the cell's principal endogenous antioxidant; its synthesis is rate-limited by one enzyme and by cysteine supply. 5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule, not a peptide, that inhibits nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, an enzyme that consumes an NAD+ precursor.
What do the studies actually measure?
Mitochondrial-function assays, NAD+ pathway markers, redox ratios and, for MOTS-c, pathway readouts such as Nrf2 in rodent injury models. Much of the NAD+ literature is about precursors and the salvage pathway, not the cofactor itself, and a 2023 human study compared how different precursors raise blood NAD+. The NNMT work is mouse work, including the 2014 Nature knockdown paper and a 2022 diet study. The product pages keep the animal and human findings separate and link every paper.
How do the compounds compare?
| Compound | What it is | Sequence / formula | Molecular weight | Sources cited on its page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTS-c | 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide (12S rRNA region) | MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR | 2,174.6 g/mol | 22 |
| NAD+ | dinucleotide redox cofactor (not a peptide) | C₂₁H₂₇N₇O₁₄P₂ | 663.4 g/mol | 53 |
| Glutathione | tripeptide, reduced form | γ-Glu-Cys-Gly | 307.3 g/mol | 52 |
| 5-Amino-1MQ | small-molecule NNMT inhibitor (not a peptide) | quinolinium salt | verifying (salt-dependent) | 11 |
Sequences and molecular weights are the values verified on each product page. "Sources cited" is the count shown on that page on 28 August 2026.
Where do I read more?
- What is NAD+ studied for?
- NAD+ direct vs precursor: the evidence
- What is MOTS-c studied for?
- What is 5-Amino-1MQ studied for?
- Cellular & mitochondrial research as a field
Every compound on this page is supplied for laboratory research only. Each product page carries its full reference list.
References
- Pei Z et al. (2026). NAD⁺ as a central metabolic hub regulating the hallmarks of aging. Mech Ageing Dev. PMID 41812700
- Li J et al. (2023). The acute effect of different NAD⁺ precursors included in the combined metabolic activators. Free Radic Biol Med. PMID 37271226
- Zhang YL et al. (2026). LAT1-mediated delivery of engineered R13A-MOTS-c attenuates radiation-induced lung injury via Nrf2 activation. Redox Biol. PMID 42142418
- Kraus D et al. (2014). Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity. Nature. PMID 24717514
- Dimet-Wiley A et al. (2022). Reduced-calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice. Sci Rep. PMID 35013352
- Lu SC (2013). Glutathione synthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta. PMID 22995213