Functional analysis of B144/LST1: a gene in the tumor necrosis factor cluster that induces formation of long filopodia in eukaryotic cells

B144/LST1 is a gene encoded in the human major histocompatibility complex that produces multiple forms of alternatively spliced mRNA and encodes Peptides fewer than 100 Amino acids in length. B144/LST1 is strongly expressed in dendritic cells. Transfection of B144/LST1 into a variety of cells induces morphologic changes including the production of long, thin filopodia differing from those seen on transfection of a dominant active CDC42 gene. The structures are dynamically rearranging and sometimes connect one cell with another. The full effect of B144/LST1 protein on cell morphology requires the retention of at least one of the four cysteines of the peptide plus the presence of a hydrophobic segment in the protein, but requires only one of the two coding regions present in the terminal 3' exons.