ABSTRACT
Abstract. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved proteins found in plants that consist of stressinducible and constitutively expressed proteins. These proteins play a key role in promoting correct refolding and preventing aggregation of denatured proteins under stress conditions by functioning as molecular chaperones or proteases. The function of HSPs is usually emphasized under heat stress condition; however, the versatile expression patterns strongly suggest that HSPs may be important for
other developmental and stress conditions, especially salinity condition. The expressions of HSPs are regulated by heat shock factors (Hsfs) through their interaction with heat shock elements presented in the HSP promoter region. Plant Hsfs play important roles not only in heat stress but also in other biotic and abiotic stresses.
