Fig. 10.

Hypothetical model for functions of CsLOX genes in the tea plant. Several CsLOX genes exhibit tissue specificity during tea plant growth. Biotic and abiotic stresses (tea geometrid feeding, infection with strains of Glomerella cingulata and low temperature) initiate the transcription of key CsLOX genes and subsequently activate the AOS or HPL pathway, respectively. Environmental stresses trigger the aberrant splicing machinery and generate the AS of CsLOX genes. The CsLOX genes which harbor PTCs can be degraded by the NMD machinery. In contrast, CsLOX genes without a PTC may possibly be translated into truncated proteins which, as latent functional proteins, can perform their normal functions.