中文摘要：

水分胁迫是影响植物生长发育及农作物产量和品质的主要限制因子。论述植物响应水分胁迫的分子机制，其信号转导整个过程包括细胞感知水分胁迫信号、胁迫信号的传递、第二信使激活一些相关的转录因子、转录因子与顺式元件相互作用诱导基因的表达。在水分胁迫起始信号和靶基因表达之间至少存在4条独立的信号转导途径，包括两条ABA依赖型和两条非ABA依赖型途径。ABA依赖型途径中有一条必须有蛋白质合成，非ABA依赖型途径中有一条与低温胁迫有共同的信号转导通路。

英文摘要：

Water-stress is one of the most important factors that limit the growth and development of plants, and the production and quality of crops. The molecular mechanism of responsiveness to water-stress in plants was reviewed in this paper. The whole signal transduetion pathway of water-stress response in plants included the perception and transmission of water-stress signal, the activation of stress-related transcription factors by the second messengers, and the expression of target genes induced by the interaction of cis-aeting elements and trans-acting factors. Water-stress responsive gene expression in plants was mediated by four independent signal transduction pathways through both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways, including an ABA-dependent pathway that needed novel proteins synthesis, and an ABA-independent pathway that shared the same signaling pathway with low temperature responsiveness.