MOTS-c Modulates Skeletal Muscle Function by Directly Binding and Activating CK2

Plain-language summary

Researchers identified casein kinase 2 (CK2) as a direct and functional binding partner of MOTS-c, showing that MOTS-c modulates CK2 activity in a tissue-specific manner. MOTS-c administration increased muscle glucose uptake, an effect that was blocked when CK2 was inhibited, establishing a novel mechanistic pathway for the peptide's role in muscle metabolism. The study also found that a MOTS-c genetic variant (K14Q) was associated with altered risks of sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes in an age- and sex-dependent manner.