Filovirus vectors and noninfectious filovirus-based particles

A method to prepare lipid encapsulated replication-defective particles comprising filovirus matrix protein and a filovirus glycoprotein, comprising:

• a) providing a supernatant from a culture of eukaryotic cells contacted with a first DNA vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a DNA encoding a filovirus matrix protein or a portion thereof having residues corresponding to residues 1–226, 1–176, 50–326, or 100–326 of the Ebola virus matrix protein, which is capable of being incorporated into a particle, and a second DNA vector comprising a promoter operably linked to a DNA fragment of interest encoding a protein, wherein if the protein encoded by the DNA fragment of interest is not a glycoprotein, the culture is also contacted with a third DNA vector encoding a glycoprotein;
• and b) isolating from the supernatant replication-defective lipid encapsulated filamentous particles comprising filovirus matrix protein or the portion thereof, and the filovirus glycoprotein or the second DNA vector and the glycoprotein.