This region featured in this family is repeated in spinach cold acclimation protein CAP160 (Swiss:O50054) CAP160 is induced during periods of drought stress; its precise function is unknown but it has been implicated in the stabilisation of membranes, cytoskeletal elements, and ribosomes. By acting as a compatible solute, it may reduce the toxic effects of cellular solutes that accumulate at high concentration during dehydration; it may also function as an enzyme that produces such a solute [1]. Other members of this family are also induced by water stress, abscisic acid, and/or low temperature, such as desiccation-responsive protein 29B (Swiss:Q04980) and CDet11-24 protein (Swiss:O23764).

1: Characterization of a gene for spinach CAP160 and expression of two spinach cold-acclimation proteins in tobacco. Kaye C, Neven L, Hofig A, Li QB, Haskell D, Guy C; Plant Physiol 1998;116:1367-1377. PMID:9536054