Damage of defoliation by regulating global gene expression. Enrichment analyses of GO terms, KOG, and the KEGG pathway suggested that the ribosome was specifically overrepresented after defoliation. The ribosome is an essential ribonucleoprotein complex that is engaged in translation and is indispensable for growth. In this study, many ribosomal protein genes, including the large 60S and small 40S subunits of the cytosolic ribosome, were identified, and their expression levels mainly decreased at 2 h after defoliation. In both plants and animals, the loss of ribosomal proteins leads to reduced growth, which most likely correlated with reduced ribosome production and lower rates of protein synthesis. For example, in Arabidopsis thaliana, several RP loss-of-function mutations that affect cell division or cell expansion and consequently result in a deformed leaf size and shape have been identified, indicating cellor development-specific roles of RPs during leaf growth. Notably, in this study, the expression levels of numerous genes involved in cell division or cell expansion were down-regulated after defoliation, and these genes include those encoding cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, and expansion. Lignin is a phenolic heteropolymer of the secondary cell walls that plays a major role in plant development and defense against pathogens. The monolignols represent the main component of lignin, and their synthesis involves many intermediates and enzymes. In this study, we identified several key genes involved in lignin biosynthesis that were down-regulated, including genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, caffeoyl-CoA Omethyltransferase, shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. The down-regulation of these genes has been demonstrated to reduce lignin biosynthesis and cell-wall thickness, alter xylem organization, and retard growth. Notably, the LDK378 regrowth of elongating leaves was significantly retarded after defoliation at 6 h through the following 7 days of measurement, suggesting that the above gene expression patterns correlated consistently with the phenotype. Castrillo´nArbela´ez et al. demonstrated that although defoliation led to a rapid and transient reduction of non-structural carbohydrates in grain amaranth, only a few changes in gene expression and enzyme activity could be associated with the NSC changes in an analysis of 25 genes. They also revealed that the rapid mobilization of foliar starch reserves followed by an efficient recovery of all NSC reserves after defoliation did not alter plant growth or reproductive fitness. Vargas-Ortiz et al. demonstrated that defoliation reduced all NSC levels in the stems and roots of grain amaranth, and this reduction was associated with reduced sucrose synthase and cell wall invertase activity.