Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are signaling modules that transduce extracellular stimuli to a range of cellular responses. Research in yeast and metazoans has shown that MAPK-mediated phosphorylation directly or indirectly regulates the activity of transcription factors. Plant MAPK cascades have been implicated in development and stress responses, but little is known about the specific downstream targets they control. Recent studies have begun to identify direct MAPK transcriptional targets, and provide insights into the mechanisms by which MAPK signaling networks regulate gene expression.