Abiotic Resistance and Chaperones: Possible Physiological Role of SP1, a Stable and Stabilizing Protein from Populus

Abstract

The molecular basis of abiotic stress tolerance in plants, especially drought, salinity and extreme temperatures, is rather limited. In view, the worldwide devastating problems of salinization and desertification, efforts are continuing to unravel some of the molecular controls and tolerance mechanisms. Discovery of new genes for abiotic stress tolerance, combined with controlled molecular breeding will have an important role in shaping agricultural plants in the post-genomic era (Wang et al., 200la).