STE12 — Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288c

Summary

YHR084W, also known as STE12, encodes a sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factor with a C2H2-type zinc finger domain, belonging to the Ste12 transcription factor family. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ste12 is associated with the MAPK cascade, pheromone response, mating behavior, pseudohyphal and filamentous growth, biofilm formation, cell morphogenesis, and responses to nutrients, carbon dioxide, and osmotic stress. It localizes to the nucleus and forms complexes with Tec1p, Dig1p, and Dig2p. The gene is linked to numerous phenotypes including sterile, absent shmoo formation, absent filamentous growth, altered pseudohyphal and invasive growth, decreased mating efficiency, abnormal cell shape and morphology, and decreased vegetative growth. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence and loss of pathogenicity.