Dehydration of the cells is a consequence of the presence in the environment of abiotic factors such as drought , high soil salinity and low temperature . In response, the plant takes a number of changes at the physiological and molecular levels. The synthesis of various types of organic compounds known as compatible substances that reducing the potential for water to prevent it from flowing out of the cell , and also serve a protective function for proteins and membranes . These include soluble sugars, some amino acids , organic acids and proteins and the protective osmoprotektanty . Adaptation of metabolic stress conditions are also associated with changes in gene expression . These genes encode proteins belonging to the different enzymes of metabolic pathways ( desaturase glucosyltransferase , superoxide dismutase , MAP kinase ) , hydrophilic proteins ( dehydryny , osmotyny ), and transcription factors interacting with specific regulatory sequences in the promoters of genes transcribed during stress . There are four main cascade regulation of gene expression : two pathways ABA - dependent and ABA - independent two . When dried , both types are activated , and under the influence of low temperature cascade is activated only ABA - independent.