Affiliated Faculty

Research Interests

Molecular Population Genetics, Ecological Genetics

Our laboratory is interested in understanding the processes that affect the levels and patterns of genetic variation in natural populations. We are particularly interested in developing techniques for measuring genetic variability at the DNA level and in using the insights provided by DNA polymorphism to make inferences about the operation of selection in populations of marine bivalve and fish species. In trivalves, our main research activities have been directed towards understanding the genetic basis of correlations between the degree of individual heterozygosity (measured at a number of polymorphic enzyme loci) and various fitness-related characters (such as growth, viability and fecundity). Recently, we have developed a set of 22 nuclear restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in the scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, and scored a subset of these loci in a cohort of juveniles that were previously known to exhibit a correlation between enzyme heterozygosity and growth rate. By demonstrating that growth rate failed to correlate with the degree of heterozygosity at the DNA level, we have obtained evidence favoring the direct involvement of a number of polymorphic enzyme loci to a fitness-related character.

We are also investigating the evolutionary dynamics of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism in a number of bivalve species. In the scallop, we have examined whether large-scale mtDNA size variation has an effect on fitness by comparing growth rates of individuals possessing different numbers of a large (1.45 kb) mtDNA repeated sequence. In mussels of the genus Mytilus, we are interested in the evolution of biparental inheritance of mtDNA.

Our work on the Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, has included

* examining the genetic basis of variation in physiological performance among individuals from different stocks, and
* measuring the extent of population structure and gene flow through a combined analysis of variation at electrophoretic, mtDNA and nuclear RFLP loci.

Biography, Education and Training

B.S., Carleton University
Ph.D. University of British Columbia

Selected Publications

Saarman, Norah, Kord M. Kober, W Simison, and Grant H Pogson. 2017. “Sequence-Based Analysis of Thermal Adaptation and Protein Energy Landscapes in an Invasive Blue Mussel (Mytilus Galloprovincialis).” Genome Biology and Evolution 9 (September). https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evx190.

Pogson, Grant H. 2016. “Studying the Genetic Basis of Speciation in High Gene Flow Marine Invertebrates.” Current Zoology 62 (August): zow093. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zow093.

Saarman, Norah, and Grant H. Pogson. 2015. “Introgression between Invasive and Native Blue Mussels (Genus Mytilus) in the Central California Hybrid Zone.” Molecular Ecology, July. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13340/full.

Roux, Camille, C Fraïsse, Vincent Castric, Xavier Vekemans, G H Pogson, and Nicolas Bierne. 2014. “Can We Continue to Neglect Genomic Variation in Introgression Rates When Inferring the History of Speciation? A Case Study in a Mytilus Hybrid Zone.” Journal of Evolutionary Biology 27 (June). https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12425.

Kober, Kord M., and Grant H Pogson. 2013. “Genome-Wide Patterns of Codon Bias Are Shaped by Natural Selection in the Purple Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus.” G3 (Bethesda, Md.) 3 (May). https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.113.005769.

Pujolar, Jose, and Grant H. Pogson. 2011. “Positive Darwinian Selection in Gamete Recognition Proteins Of.” Molecular Ecology 20 (November): 4968–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05336.x.

Thiriot-Quiévreux, C, Grant H. Pogson, and Eleftherios Zouros. 2011. “Genetics of Growth Rate Variation in Bivalves: Aneuploidy and Heterozygosity Effects in a Crassostrea Gigas Family.” Genome 35 (February): 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1139/g92-007.

Addison, Jason, and Grant H Pogson. 2009. “Multiple Gene Genealogies Reveal Asymmetrical Hybridization and Introgression among Strongylocentrotid Sea Urchins.” Molecular Ecology 18 (March): 1239–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04094.x.

Cao, Liqin, Brian Ort, Athanasia Mizi, Grant Pogson, Ellen Kenchington, Eleftherios Zouros, and George Rodakis. 2009. “The Control Region of Maternally and Paternally Inherited Mitochondrial Genomes of Three Species of the Sea Mussel Genus Mytilus.” Genetics 181 (February): 1045–56. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.108.093229.

Addison, Jason, Brian Ort, Kathryn Mesa, and Grant H Pogson. 2008. “Range-Wide Genetic Homogeneity in the California Sea Mussel (Mytilus Californianus): A Comparison of Allozymes, Nuclear DNA Markers, and Mitochondrial DNA Sequences.” Molecular Ecology 17 (November): 4222–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03905.x.

Bigg, Grant, Clifford Cunningham, Geir Ottersen, Grant H Pogson, Martin Wadley, and Phillip Williamson. 2008. “Ice-Age Survival of Atlantic Cod: Agreement between Palaeoecology Models and Genetics.” Proceedings. Biological Sciences / The Royal Society 275 (January): 163–72. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.1153.

Ort, Brian, and Grant H Pogson. 2007. “Molecular Population Genetics of the Male and Female Mitochondrial DNA Molecules of the California Sea Mussel, Mytilus Californianus.” Genetics 177 (October): 1087–99. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.107.072934.

H Pogson, Grant, and Kathryn Mesa. 2004. “Gadid Fishes.” Molecular Biology and Evolution 21 (February): 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msg237.

H Pogson, Grant, and Svein-Erik Fevolden. 2003. “Natural Selection and the Genetic Differentiation of Coastal and Arctic Populations of the Atlantic Cod in Northern Norway: A Test Involving Nucleotide Sequence Variation at the Pantophysin (PanI) Locus.” Molecular Ecology 12 (February): 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01713.x.

H Pogson, G. 2001. “Nucleotide Polymorphism and Natural Selection at the Pantophysin (Pan I) Locus in the Atlantic Cod, Gadus Morhua (L.).” Genetics 157 (February): 317–30.

H. Pogson, Grant, Christopher Taggart, Kathryn Mesa, and Robert G. Boutilier. 2001. “Isolation by Distance in the Atlantic Cod, Gadus Morhua, at Large and Small Geographic Scales.” Evolution 55 (January): 131–46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2001.tb01279.x.

G Boutilier, R, T G West, Dale Webber, G H Pogson, Kathryn Mesa, J Wells, and M J Wells. 2000a. “The Metabolic Ups and Downs of Nautilus.” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – COMP BIOCHEM PHYSIOL PT B 126 (July). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-0491(00)80029-2.

G Boutilier, R, T G West, Dale Webber, G H Pogson, Kathryn Mesa, J Wells, and M J Wells. 2000b. “The Protective Effects of Hypoxia-Induced Hypometabolism in the Nautilus.” Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology 170 (July): 261–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003600000096.

Pearse, Devon, and Grant H. Pogson. 2000. “Parallel Evolution of the Melanic Form of the California Legless Lizard, Anniella Pulchra, Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variation.” Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution 54 (July): 1041–46. https://doi.org/10.1554/0014-3820(2000)054[1041:PEOTMF]2.3.CO;2.

H. Pogson, Grant, and Se Fevolden. 1998. “DNA Heterozygosity and Growth Rate in the Atlantic Cod Gadus Morhua (L).” Evolution 52 (June): 915. https://doi.org/10.2307/2411287.

H Pogson, Grant, and Svein Erik Fevolden. 1998. “DNA HETEROZYGOSITY AND GROWTH RATE IN THE ATLANTIC COD GADUS MORHUA (L).” Evolution 52 (June): 915–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1998.tb03717.x.

Fevolden, Se, and G H. Pogson. 1997. “Genetic Divergence at the Synaptophysin (Syp I) Locus among Norwegian Coastal and North-East Arctic Population of Atlantic Cod.” Journal of Fish Biology 51 (November): 895–908. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01529.x.

G. Boutilier, R, T G. West, G H. Pogson, Kathryn Mesa, J Wells, and M J. Wells. 1996. “Nautilus and the Art of Metabolic Maintenance.” Nature 382 (August): 534–36. https://doi.org/10.1038/382534a0.

H Pogson, G, Kathryn Mesa, and R G Boutilier. 1995. “Genetic Population Structure and Gene Flow in the Atlantic Cod Gadus Morhua: A Comparison of Allozyme and Nuclear RFLP Loci.” Genetics 139 (February): 375–85.

Pogson, G. H., and E. Zouros. 1994. “Allozyme and RFLP Heterozygosities as Correlates of Growth Rate in the Scallop Placopecten Magellanicus: A Test of the Associative Overdominance Hypothesis.” Genetics 137 (1): 221–31.

Zouros, Eleftherios, G H Pogson, D I Cook, and M J Dadswell. 1992. “APPARENT SELECTIVE NEUTRALITY OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA SIZE VARIATION: A TEST IN THE DEEP-SEA SCALLOP PLACOPECTEN MAGELLANICUS.” Evolution 46 (October): 1466–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1992.tb01137.x.

Zouros, E., K. R. Freeman, A. O. Ball, and G. H. Pogson. 1992. “Direct Evidence for Extensive Paternal Mitochondrial DNA Inheritance in the Marine Mussel Mytilus.” Nature 359 (6394): 412–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/359412a0.

G Boutilier, R, T G West, Dale Webber, G H Pogson, Kathryn Mesa, J Wells, and M J Wells . 1991. “Expression of Overdominance for Specific Activity at the Phosphoglucomutase-2 Locus in the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea Gigas.” Genetics 128 (1): 133–41.

Pogson, G. H. 1989. “Biochemical Characterization of Genotypes at the Phosphoglucomutase-2 Locus in the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea Gigas.” Biochemical Genetics 27 (9–10): 571–89.

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