[Antiviral activity of extracts of transgenic cichory and lettuce plants with the human interferon alpha-2b gene].

Biological activity of protein extracts from transgenic plants of chicory Cichorium intybus L. and lettuce Lactuca sativa L. with human interferon alpha2b gene was investigated against vesicular stomatitis virus. It was shown that the extracts from the hairy roots of chicory and lettuce transformed by A. rhizogenes possess the antiviral activity 1620...5400 IU/g weight, and the extracts from leaves of the plants transformed by A. tumefaciens--till 9375 IU/g weight. Dependence of plant extract biological activity on the transformation vector was shown.