Transcriptional regulator which can act both as a coactivator and a corepressor and is the critical downstream regulatory target in the Hippo signaling pathway that plays a pivotal role in organ size control and tumor suppression by restricting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The core of this pathway is composed of a kinase cascade wherein STK3/MST2 and STK4/MST1, in complex with its regulatory protein SAV1, phosphorylates and activates LATS1/2 in complex with its regulatory protein MOB1, which in turn phosphorylates and inactivates YAP1 oncoprotein and WWTR1/TAZ. Plays a key role to control cell proliferation in response to cell contact. Phosphorylation of YAP1 by LATS1/2 inhibits its translocation into the nucleus to regulate cellular genes important for cell proliferation, cell death, and cell migration. The presence of TEAD transcription factors are required for it to stimulate gene expression, cell growth, anchorage-independent growth, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) induction. Isoform 2 and isoform 3 can activate the C-terminal fragment (CTF) of ERBB4 (isoform 3)

Sudol M., J. Biol. Chem. 270:14733-14741(1995).
Chen H.I., J. Biol. Chem. 272:17070-17077(1997).
Beausoleil S.A., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101:12130-12135(2004).