Regeneration of transgenic plants from hairy roots of Cichorium intybus L. var. Foliosum Hegi

Transgenic plants containing either ifn-α2b gene encoding human leukocytic interferon or esxA::fbpBΔTMD genes encoding Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens ESAT6 and Ag85B were regenerated from hairy root cultures after transformation of chicory cotyledons (Cichorium intybus L. var. Foliosum Hegi) with a wild-type A. rhizogenes A4 strain. The direct shoot regeneration from transgenic roots without callus formation phase on growth regulator-free nutrient medium was demonstrated. The transgenes transfer and transcription in the plants were confirmed by the results of RT-PCR and PCR analyses.