Microtubule perturbations affect pathway variability η2(P) and transmitted signal P at or upstream of the Ste5 recruitment step Microtubule perturbations affect pathway variability η2(P) and transmitted signal P at or upstream of the Ste5 recruitment step We exposed reference (“WT”), and ∆bim1, ∆gim4 derivatives of GPY1810 (bearing the chimeric genes PPRM1‐mCherry, PBMH2‐YFP, and a gene constitutively expressing the chimeric transcription factor PBMH2‐GAL4BD‐hER‐VP16), to the indicated concentrations of estradiol for 180 min to induce expression of two ectopic activators of the pheromone response system, Ste4 and Ste5‐CTM. Error bars show standard deviations computed over the three replicates. Y‐axis shows pathway variability η2(P), x‐axis shows signal strength P, normalized by the maximum P observed for each reference strain. This normalization allows comparison between strains with different activation points. There are three replicate cultures of each mutant and reference strain.X‐axis values are estradiol dose, y‐axis values are P (same measurements as in x‐axis of panel A, but here un‐normalized). Reductions in these values are thus also reflected in reduced ranges of P, relative to reference, for plots in (A). Figure 4B shows corresponding reduced response of ∆bim1 and ∆gim4 mutants to normal pheromone induction.Source data are available online for this figure. C Gustavo Pesce et al. Mol Syst Biol 2018;14:e7390 © as stated in the article, figure or figure legend