We have isolated a gene whose expression enables yeast cells to overcome the inhibition of growth produced by the presence of 2-deoxyglucose. The gene contains an open reading frame of 738 bp that may code for a protein of 27,100 Da. Cells carrying this gene contain high levels of a specific 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate phosphatase. The expression of this phosphatase is increased by the presence of 2-deoxyglucose and is constant along the growth curve.