Regulatory networks of bZIPs in drought, salt and cold stress response and signaling.

Abiotic stresses adversely impact plants survival and growth, which in turn affect plants especially crop yields worldwide. To cope with these stresses, plant responses depend on the activation of molecular networks cascades, including stress perception, signal transduction, and the expression of specific stress-related genes. Plant bZIP (basic leucine zipper) transcription factors are important regulators that respond to diverse abiotic stresses.By binding to specific cis-elements, bZIPs can control the transcription of target genes, giving plants stress resistance. This review describes the structural characteristics of bZIPs and summarizes recent progress in analyzing the molecular mechanisms regulating plant responses to salinity, drought, and cold in different plant species. The main goal is to deepen the understanding of bZIPs and explore their value in genetic improvement of plants.