Transcriptomic analyses reveal a systemic defense role of the uninfested adjacent leaf in tea plant (Camellia sinensis) attacked by tea geometrids (Ectropis obliqua).

To get a more detailed understanding of the interaction between tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and tea geometrids (Ectropis obliqua), transcriptomic profile in undamaged adjacent leaf (TGL) of tea geometrids fed local leaves (LL) was investigated for the first time. Here, approximately 245 million clean reads contained 39.39 Gb of sequence data were obtained from TGL. Further analysis revealed that systemic response was induced in TGL after tea geometrids feeding on LL, although the defense response was weaker than that in LL. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identification analysis showed little overlap of DEGs between TGL and LL. Comparative transcriptome analysis suggested that JA signal regulated resistant pathway was induced in LL; whereas primary metabolism pathway was activated in TGL in response to tea geometrids feeding. This study reveals a novel resistance mechanism of TGL to tea geometrids feeding.