Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is sensitive to chilling particularly at early stages of seedling establishment. Two closely related genes (OsLti6a, OsLti6b), which are induced by low temperature during seedling emergence were isolated from a cold tolerant temperate japonica rice cultivar. These genes are closely related to the Arabidopsis rare cold-inducible (RCI2) and barley low-temperature-inducible (BLT101) genes. Based on direct biochemical and indirect physiological evidence and similarity with a conserved protein domain in the Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) database (e.g., yeast PMP3), the rice genes belong to a class of low-molecular-weight hydrophobic proteins involved in maintaining the integrity of the plasma membrane during cold, dehydration and salt stress conditions. Both genes exhibit a genotype-specific expression signature characterized by early and late stress-inducible expression in tolerant and intolerant genotypes, respectively. The differences in temporal expression profiles are consistent with cultivar differences in cold-induced membrane leakiness and seedling vigor. The presence of CRT/DRE promoter cis-elements is consistent with the synchronized expression of OsLti6 genes with the C-repeat binding factor/drought responsive element-binding protein (CBF/DREB) transcriptional activator. The present results indicate that the Oslti6 genes are part of a battery of cold stress defense-related genes regulated by a common switch.