title: Physiological and molecular changes in plants grown at low temperatures.
abstract: Apart from water availability, low temperature is the most important environmental factor limiting the productivity and geographical distribution of plants across the world. To cope with cold stress, plant species have evolved several physiological and molecular adaptations to maximize cold tolerance by adjusting their metabolism. The regulation of some gene products represents an additional mechanism of cold tolerance. A consequence of these mechanisms is that plants are able to survive exposure to low temperature via a process known as cold acclimation. In this review, we briefly summarize recent progress in research and hypotheses on how sensitive plants perceive cold. We also explore how this perception is translated into changes within plants following exposure to low temperatures. Particular emphasis is placed on physiological parameters as well as transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation of cold-induced gene products that occur after exposure to low temperatures, leading to cold acclimation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défense et Reproduction des Plantes, URVVC, UPRES EA 2069, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, BP 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theocharis
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clément
authors.forename: Essaïd Ait
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Barka
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D003080:Cold Temperature; D063245:Plant Development; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species