[Anti-freezing proteins and plant responses to low temperature stress].

Anti-freezing proteins (AFPs) are the new type of proteins isolated from overwintering plants, which involve in the plant responses to low temperature stress. AFPs have multiple hydrophilic ice-binding domains, which can inhibit the growth and recrystallization of ice in intercellular spaces. Some AFPs are homologous to the pathogenesis-related proteins, and function with two activities, i. e., anti-freezing and disease-resistance. The expression and accumulation of AFPs are controlled by developmental regulation and transcriptional factors, and affected by low temperature, short day length, dehydration, and ethylene. The heterologous over-expression of genes encoding AFPs in freezing-sensitive plants can enhance the freezing resistance of host plants. In this paper, the research advances in plant AFPs' characters and their identification, mechanisms of freezing resistance and their regulation,