Molecular mechanisms of plant resistance to cold stress

Cold stress is a pervasive abiotic stress factor that severely constrains plant growth and development and threatens global food security. The key physiological and biochemical damages triggered by cold stress （0-15 ℃）， including electrolyte leakage， inhibition of photosynthesis and respiration， reactive oxygen species （ROS） burst， and water homeostasis dysregulation were systematically synthesized. The molecular mechanisms underpinning low-temperature signal perception in plants， involving critical sensors such as COLD1/RGA1， Ca²⁺ channels， and receptor-like kinases （RLKs）， along with their downstream signal transduction pathways （e.g.， Ca²⁺ flux， MAPK cascade reactions， and the ICE1-CBF-COR core module） were comprehensively explored. Furthermore， the diverse molecular strategies employed by plants to counteract low temperatures， encompassing osmotic protection systems， ROS scavenging mechanisms， trehalose signaling， S-acylation post-translational modifications， and the induced expression of cryoprotective proteins （LEA， AFP， CSPs） were elaborated. Finally， future research trajectories were outlined in plant cold tolerance， emphasizing the imperative to： decipher the structure-function relationships of cold sensors， reveal interspecies regulatory network divergences， explore novel regulatory mechanisms （e.g.， phase separation， epigenetic regulation）， and advance multi-gene coordinated editing for breeding. This review aims to provide a solid theoretical foundation and innovative perspectives for the genetic improvement of crop cold tolerance.