Chicken interferon gene and novel recombinant DNA

Mammalian interferons are valuable proteins useful in protecting and treating animals and humans from viral and other diseases, through the myriad actions of interferon (IFN). Marcus, , 2:733-739 (1994); Krown et al., , 2:739-745 (1994). The Food and Drug Administration has approved several uses of human IFN. Comparable studies with chickens and other avian species have been limited by the availability of chicken and avian IFN. Induction of avian interferon by virus has been successful in primary chick embryo cells "aged" in vitro, with yields of more than 100,000 units of IFN per 10 cells (Sekellick and Marcus, , 119:115-125 (1986)), and chicken interferon (ChIFN) has been shown specifically to protect chicken cells against the lethal action of several viruses (Marcus and Sekellick, , 69:378-393 (1976); Marcus et al., , 64:2419-1431 (1983)). A chicken interferon gene coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 is disclosed. There is also disclosed a method of producing chicken interferon recombinantly, a method of isolating other non-mammalian interferon genes, a method of making a transgenic fowl having the chicken interferon gene incorporated therein, and method for delivery of the chicken interferon in the bird, such as by genetic immunization or aerosol. Expression of the gene coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 yields functional chicken interferon.