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.