INTRODUCTION
In the process of growth and development, plants are exposed to various
abiotic stress such as salinity, drought, low temperature, which limit
crop yield and quality. During evolution, plants acquire series of
resistances to these environmental stresses and survive through
physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. These responses are
usually originated by regulating the expression of relevant genes. bZIP
(basic leucine zipper) transcription factors, as one of the largest
transcription factor regulatory families, play very important roles in
the response to these abiotic stresses. bZIP TFs could be activated by
drought, high salt and chilling damage. By binding specifically tocis -elements in the promoter region of stress related genes, they
can regulate the transcriptional expressions of target genes, thereby
regulating stress resistance of plants. This article comprehensively
reviews the structural characteristics of bZIPs and their regulation
mechanisms on target genes.