Microarray analysis is used to identify transcriptional targets.However,the direct targets of transcription factors cannot be distin guished from indirect ones;further,genes with low-expression levels cannot be identified by this method.In the present study,we exploi the cis-element dehydration-responsive element(DRE)that is known to be responsible for the transcription of DRE binding factor](DREB1)targets in the promoter region of all Arabidopsis genes.Putative targets whose promoters contain the elements were verified by both microarray and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)analysis.Five new DREB 1/CBF direct targets were identified.Compared with traditional microarray analysis,our method is convenient and cost-effective for identifying the downstream targets of transcription factors.