The DDR2 gene is a multistress response gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is transcriptionally activated by more than thirteen xenobiotic agents and environmental or physiological stresses. The DDR2 gene encodes a small hydrophobic 61 amino acid polypeptide located on chromosome XV adjacent to the SPE2 locus. Disruption alleles of the DDR2 gene have been constructed and these ddr2 delta mutants show no defect in heat shock recovery or thermotolerance and appear normal for DNA damage sensitivity and mutagenesis.