Driven by adaptive evolution, animals have developed a variety of adaptive traits that are critical to their survival and reproduction. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution is of key significance for understanding important biological phenomena such as species diversification and phenotypic convergence, etc. With the development and maturation of multi-omics technologies, genomic non-coding DNA regulatory elements have been proven to play important regulatory roles in the evolution of adaptive traits in animals. In this review, we summarize the characteristics and mechanisms of non-coding DNA regulatory elements and reviews their molecular mechanisms in the evolution of adaptive traits in animals from three aspects: adaptive traits of animal appendages, traits for adaptation to extreme environments, and other special phenotypic adaptive traits. It offers significant insights for understanding the molecular mechanisms of adaptive trait evolution in animals.
在适应性演化的推动下，动物发展出了多种适应性特征，这些特征对它们的生存和繁衍至关重要。揭示适应性演化的分子机制对理解物种多样化、表型趋同等重要生物学现象具有关键意义。随着多组学技术的发展与成熟，基因组非编码DNA调控元件已被证明在动物适应性性状演化过程中发挥着重要调控作用。本文概述了非编码DNA调控元件的特征及其作用机制，并从动物附肢适应性状、动物极端环境适应性状以及动物其他特殊表型适应性状这3个方面综述了其在动物适应性性状演化中的分子机制，为理解动物适应性性状演化分子机制提供重要参考。.
Keywords: adaptive traits; animal; non-coding DNA; regulatory elements.