14-3-3 proteins: Macro-regulators with great potential for improving abiotic stress tolerance in plants

14-3-3 proteins (14-3-3s) are highly conserved regulatory proteins that are uniquely eukaryotic, and deeply involved in protein-protein interactions that mediate diverse signaling pathways. In plants, 14-3-3s have been validated to regulate many biological processes, such as metabolism, light and hormone signaling, cell-cycle control and protein trafficking. Recent years we have also witnessed an increasing number of reports describing the functions of 14-3-3s in plant stress responses through interactions with key proteins in both biotic and abiotic stresses. In this review, we highlight the advances that have been made in investigating the roles of 14-3-3s in plant abiotic stress tolerance. These advances provide a framework for our understanding of how signals are integrated to perceive and respond to the abiotic stresses in plants.