Final answer:
Yeast cells respond to mating factor by releasing a signaling molecule that binds to nearby cells, triggering a mating response.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yeast cells respond to mating factor by releasing a signaling molecule called mating factor. This molecule binds to cell-surface receptors on nearby yeast cells, triggering a cell signaling cascade. This cascade involves protein kinases and GTP-binding proteins, which lead to the cessation of normal growth cycles and the initiation of a mating response.