Data from: A gain-of-function polymorphism controlling complex traits and fitness in nature

Identification of the causal genes that control complex trait variation remains challenging, limiting our appreciation of the evolutionary processes that influence polymorphisms in nature. We cloned a quantitative trait locus that controls plant defensive chemistry, damage by insect herbivores, survival, and reproduction in the natural environments where this polymorphism evolved. These ecological effects are driven by duplications in the BCMA (branched-chain methionine allocation) loci controlling this variation and by two selectively favored amino acid changes in the glucosinolate-biosynthetic cytochrome P450 proteins that they encode. These changes cause a gain of novel enzyme function, modulated by allelic differences in catalytic rate and gene copy number. Ecological interactions in diverse environments likely contribute to the widespread polymorphism of this biochemical function.BCMA fine mappingBCMA heterologous expressionBCMA2 genotypes & linkageCO endogenous leaf damageCO manipulativeGS transgenicsLab Boechera_East GSLab Boechera_East TniLab Data for Tni TotGS BCratio histogramMicrosatellite data 28 loci from 9 populationsMT&CO Plant Means BC-ratioNILs 2008 BCMA GS TraitsNILs MT&CO HerbivoryParker x Ruby GS dataRILs MT&CO FamMeans BCMA nohetsRILs MT&CO indiv plants BCMA nohetsBCMA allele-specific expressio