Previous studies have reported that low temperature (LT) constrains plant growth and restricts productivity in temperate regions. However, the underlying mechanisms are complex and not well understood. Over the past ten years, research on the process of adaptation and tolerance of plants during cold stress has been carried out. In molecular terms, researchers prioritize research into the field of the ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway which is believed to be the important key to the cold acclimation process. Inducer of CBF Expression (ICE) is a pioneer of cold acclimation and plays a central role in C-repeat binding (CBF) cold induction. CBFs activate the expression of COR genes via binding to cis-elements in the promoter of COR genes. An ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway activates the appropriate expression of downstream genes, which encodes osmoregulation substances. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of cold stress tolerance in plants from molecular and physiological perspectives and other factors, such as hormones, light, and circadian clock. Understanding the process of cold stress tolerance and the genes involved in the signaling network for cold stress is essential for improving plants, especially crops.

https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/5/560/pdf

Physiological and Molecular Mechanism Involved in Cold Stress Tolerance in Plants.

Cold stress limits plant geographical distribution and influences plant growth, development, and yields. Plants as sessile organisms have evolved complex biochemical and physiological mechanisms to adapt to cold stress. These mechanisms are regulated by a series of transcription factors and proteins for efficient cold stress acclimation. It has been established that the ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway in plants regulates how plants acclimatize to cold stress. Cold stress is perceived by receptor proteins, triggering signal transduction, and Inducer of CBF Expression (ICE) genes are activated and regulated, consequently upregulating the transcription and expression of the C-repeat Binding Factor (CBF) genes. The CBF protein binds to the C-repeat/Dehydration Responsive Element (CRT/DRE), a homeopathic element of the Cold Regulated genes (COR gene) promoter, activating their transcription. Transcriptional regulations and post-translational modifications regulate and modify these entities at different response levels by altering their expression or activities in the signaling cascade. These activities then lead to efficient cold stress tolerance. This paper contains a concise summary of the ICE-CBF-COR pathway elucidating on the cross interconnections with other repressors, inhibitors, and activators to induce cold stress acclimation in plants.

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/3/1549/pdf?version=1644298748

ICE-CBF-COR Signaling Cascade and Its Regulation in Plants Responding to Cold Stress

Cold-regulated gene LeCOR413PM2 confers cold stress tolerance in tomato plants.

A novel long noncoding RNA CIL1 enhances cold stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Salt stress causes inhibition of plant growth and development, and always leads to an increasing threat to plant agriculture. Transcription factors regulate the expression of various genes for stress response and adaptation. It's crucial to reveal the regulatory mechanisms of transcription factors in the response to salt stress.A salt-inducible NAC transcription factor gene PagNAC045 was isolated from Populus alba×P. glandulosa. The PagNAC045 had a high sequence similarity with NAC045 (Potri.007G099400.1) in P. trichocarpa, and they both contained the same conserved motifs 1 and 2, which constitute the highly conserved NAM domain at the N-terminus. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) prediction showed that PagNAC045 potentially interacts with many proteins involved in plant hormone signaling, DNA-binding and transcriptional regulation. The results of subcellular localization and transient expression in tobacco leaves confirmed the nuclear localization of PagNAC045. Yeast two-hybrid revealed that PagNAC045 protein exhibits transcriptional activation property and the activation domain located in its C-terminus. In addition, the 1063 bp promoter of PagNAC045 was able to drive GUS gene expression in the leaves and roots. In poplar leaves and roots, PagNAC045 expression increased significantly by salt and ABA treatments. Tobacco seedlings overexpressing PagNAC045 exhibited enhanced tolerance to NaCl and ABA compared to the wild-type (WT). Yeast one-hybrid assay demonstrated that a bHLH104-like transcription factor can bind to the promoter sequence of PagNAC045.The PagNAC045 functions as positive regulator in plant responses to NaCl and ABA-mediated stresses. 

/pdf/functional-analysis-of-pagnac045-transcription-factor-that-12ayqi5t.pdf

Guiming Li

Papers

A novel cold-regulated protein isolated from Saussurea involucrata confers cold and drought tolerance in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)