Data from: A simple genetic basis of adaptation to a novel thermal environment results in complex metabolic rewiring in Drosophila

Background: Population genetic theory predicts that rapid adaptation is
largely driven by complex traits encoded by many loci of small effect.
Because large-effect loci are quickly fixed in natural populations, they
should not contribute much to rapid adaptation. Results: To investigate
the genetic architecture of thermal adaptation — a highly complex trait —
we performed experimental evolution on a natural Drosophila simulans
population. Transcriptome and respiration measurements reveal extensive
metabolic rewiring after only approximately 60 generations in a hot
environment. Analysis of genome-wide polymorphisms identifies two
interacting selection targets, Sestrin and SNF4Aγ, pointing to AMPK, a
central metabolic switch, as a key factor for thermal adaptation.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that large-effect loci segregating at
intermediate allele frequencies can allow natural populations to rapidly
respond to selection. Because SNF4Aγ also exhibits clinal variation in
various Drosophila species, we suggest that this large-effect polymorphism
is maintained by temporal and spatial temperature variation in natural
environments.