Abstract: APETALA2/ethylene responsive-element binding proteins (AP2/EREBPs) are an ancient superfamily of transcription factors. AP2/EREBPs are distinguished by containing one or two conserved DNA binding domains, the so-called AP2/ERF DNA binding domain, which consists of approximately 60-70 amino acid residues. According to the number of AP2/ERF domains, the AP2/EREBP family is divided into two subfamilies : EREBPs, which contain one AP2/ERF domain, and AP2s, which contain two AP2/ERF domains. The main function of the AP2 subfamily is regulation of development of flowers, ovules, and seeds etc., and the EREBP subfamily plays important roles in regulating the response to plant hormones (ethylene, ABA etc.) , pathogen attack and stresses (cold, drought and high salt etc.). This paper reviews the progress of research into the AP2/EREBP family of transcription factors in the development and stress response of plants.