Chapter 14, Problem 17P

DNA sequencing of the entire H. influenzae genome was completed in 1995. When DNA from the nonpathogenic strain H. influenzae Rd was compared to that of the pathogenic b strain, eight genes of the fimbrial gene cluster (located between the purE and pepN genes) involved in adhesion of bacteria to host cells were completely missing from the nonpathogenic strain. What effect would this deletion have on cotransformation of purE and pepN genes using DNA isolated from the nonpathogenic versus the pathogenic strain?