A retinal adrenergic module tunes mammalian visual evolution

Tang, F.-S.; Kong, M.-M.; Luo, Y.-R.; Wang, Z.-X.; Gao, M.; Rao, L.-J.; Liu, J.-B.; Zhang, T.-T.; Chen, S.-Y.; Cheng, Y.; Gou, B.; Yang, C.; Yu, H.-B.; Lilue, J.-T.; Li, W.; Ke, J.-B.

doi:10.64898/2026.08.15.744996

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.08.15.744996

A retinal adrenergic module tunes mammalian visual evolution

Tang, F.-S.·Kong, M.-M.·Luo, Y.-R.·Wang, Z.-X.·Gao, M.·Rao, L.-J.·Liu, J.-B.·Zhang, T.-T.·Chen, S.-Y.·Cheng, Y.·Gou, B.·Yang, C.·Yu, H.-B.·Lilue, J.-T.·Li, W.·Ke, J.-B.

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Abstract

How conserved neural circuits are modified during mammalian evolution remains poorly understood. Here we combine cross-species single-cell transcriptomics, in situ validation, retinal physiology, and conditional genetics to identify a superorder-associated adrenergic module in the mammalian retina. We find that ADRB1, which encodes the {beta}1-adrenergic receptor, is uniquely expressed in rod bipolar cells of sampled Euarchontoglires, but is absent from homologous cells in sampled Laurasiatheria and Marsupialia. In mice, {beta}1-adrenergic receptor localizes to rod bipolar cell terminals and boosts transmission to AII amacrine cells through Gs-adenylyl cyclase-cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. This modulation enhances synchronous release, accelerates downstream ganglion cell output, and increases scotopic electroretinographic responses, while rod-bipolar-cell-specific Adrb1 deletion abolishes norepinephrine-induced enhancement without disrupting baseline vision. In the diurnal tree shrew, a Euarchontoglires species with a cone-dominated retina, ADRB1 is instead redeployed from rod bipolar cells to cone photoreceptors. These findings reveal an evolutionarily mobile neuromodulatory module that tunes retinal computation according to visual ecology.

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Tang, F.-S., Kong, M.-M., Luo, Y.-R., Wang, Z.-X., Gao, M., Rao, L.-J., Liu, J.-B., Zhang, T.-T., Chen, S.-Y., Cheng, Y., Gou, B., Yang, C., Yu, H.-B., Lilue, J.-T., Li, W., Ke, J.-B.. 2026-08-19. A retinal adrenergic module tunes mammalian visual evolution. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.15.744996

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