Mixed infections of two rIIA mutants on E. coli B produce wild-type recombinants that can infect the K12 strain (left). The plate at right is a B strain control that reflect total phage progeny. To calculate the frequency of recombination: 2 (recombinant phages) / total phages): 2 (4 * 10^3 / 8 * 10^9) = 2 (0.5 * 10^-6) = 10^-6 We need to multiply by 2 since only one of the two reciprocal recombinants is detected.