适应性的特殊感觉系统回声定位在蝙蝠和鲸等哺乳动物中独立起源和演化。近年来，基于分子适应性趋同进化理论，从基因序列层面，鉴定出了多个与回声定位相关的基因，完成了对其分子机制的初步探索。然而，回声定位是涉及多系统的复杂性状，除了基因序列的变化，基因表达调控网络的解析也是阐明其分子机制的关键组成部分。在本项目中，我们将比较回声定位和非回声定位蝙蝠不同组织的转录组数据，通过基因表达差异的趋同变化分析和基因共表达网络的构建，识别听觉和神经系统中与回声定位相关的基因，并对其上游转录调控因子进行识别和验证，系统地构建出与回声定位相关的基因表达调控网络。本项目的实施将为全面揭示哺乳动物适应性复杂性状回声定位的分子演化机制奠定重要的基础。

Echolocation, an adaptive special sensory system, independently originated and evolved in echolocating bats and toothed whales. In recent years, the preliminary investigation for the molecular mechanisms of echolocation was finished by identifying several related genes at the gene sequence level based on the molecular adaptive convergence theory. However, echolocation is a complex trait involving many systems, and thus besides the changes of gene sequences, deciphering the gene transcriptional regulatory networks is a key component for comprehensively revealing the molecular mechanisms of echolocation. In this project, we will compare the transcriptomes from different tissues between echolocating and non-echolocating bats and identify the candidate genes related to echolocation in hearing and nervous systems by analyzing the convergent expression differences of genes and constructing co-expression networks. We will also examine and verify the upstream transcription factors of these candidate genes, and systematically construct the gene transcriptional regulatory networks related to echolocation in bats. Our results will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms for the mammalian complex trait of echolocation.