Self-assembling replication defective hybrid virus particles

A eukaryotic cell infected in vitro with two pox virus vectors of the same species of poxvirus;

• a first vector having a sufficient portion of a pox virus genome to replicate and, inserted into said first vector, a lentivirus gene encoding the capsid polypeptides;
• and a second vector having a sufficient portion of a pox virus genome to replicate and, inserted into said second vector, a herpesvirus gene encoding the envelope glycoprotein, wherein the infection of said eukaryotic cells in vitro with the first and second vectors produces the capsid polypeptides and the envelope glycoprotein which self-assemble into hybrid virus particles.

A pox virus vector for the expression of a hybrid virus particle, said particle consisting essentially of a primate lentivirus capsid polypeptide and a herpesvirus envelope glycoprotein, wherein the vector comprises a single recombinant pox virus vector having a sufficient portion of a pox virus genome to replicate and, inserted therein, a primate lentivirus gag-pol gene encoding the capsid polypeptides and a herpesvirus gene encoding the envelope glycoprotein, wherein the infection of eukaryotic cells in vitro with the vector produces the capsid polypeptides and the envelope glycoprotein which self-assemble into hybrid virus particles.

A eukaryotic cell infected in vitro with two pox virus vectors of the same species of pox virus;

• a first vector having a sufficient portion of a pox virus genome to replicate and, inserted into said first vector, a primate lentivirus gag-pol gene encoding the capsid polypeptides;
• and a second vector having a sufficient portion of a pox virus genome to replicate and, inserted into said second vector, a herpesvirus gene encoding the envelope glycoprotein, wherein the infection of said eukaryotic cells in vitro with the first and second vectors produces the capsid polypeptides and the envelope glycoprotein which self-assemble into hybrid virus particles.