Transgenic eukaryotic organisms and cells exhibiting improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, as compared to wild-type varieties of the same organisms and cells, are described, as are methods for making and using the same. Genetic engineering of genes encoding a QM protein, including introduction of QM-encoding transgenes, engineering of regulatory regions for endogenous QM genes, duplication of QM-encoding genes, etc., confers such improved stress resistance in eukaryotic organisms, particularly plants and cell-based systems for the bioproduction of useful compounds, including recombinant proteins, biofuels, food supplements.