Methods for producing infectious, non-segmented, negative-stranded
RNA viruses of the Order Mononegavirales are provided that involve coexpression of a viral cDNA along with essential viral proteins, N, P, and L in a host
cell transiently transfected with an
expression vector encoding an
RNA polymerase. In alternate methods, after the host
cell is transfected with a viral
cDNA expression vector and one or more vectors encoding the
RNA polymerase, N
protein, P
protein, and L
protein, the host
cell is exposed to an effective
heat shock under conditions sufficient to increase
recovery of the
recombinant virus. In other alternate embodiments, the host cells are transferred after viral rescue begins into co-culture with a plaque expansion cell, typically a
monolayer of expansion cells, and the assembled infectious, non-segmented, negative-stranded
RNA virus is recovered from the co-culture. Also provided within the invention are compositions for producing infectious, non-segmented, negative-stranded
RNA virus of the Order Mononegavirales, recombinant viruses produced using the foregoing methods and compositions, and immunogenic compositions and methods employing the recombinant viruses. In additional embodiments, the methods and compositions of the invention are employed to produce growth- or replication-defective non-segmented negative-stranded RNA viruses and subviral particles.