VESICULAR STOMATITIS-VIRUS G GLYCOPROTEIN PSEUDOTYPED RETROVIRAL VECTORS - CONCENTRATION TO VERY HIGH-TITER AND EFFICIENT GENE-TRANSFER INTO MAMMALIAN AND NONMAMMALIAN CELLS

The restricted host-cell range and low titer of retroviral vectors lim it their use for stable gene transfer in eukaryotic cells. To overcome these limitations, we have produced murine leukemia virus-derived vec tors in which the retroviral envelope glycoprotein has been completely replaced by the G glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus. Such ve ctors can be concentrated by ultracentrifugation to titers >10(9) colo ny-forming units/ml and can infect cells, such as hamster and fish cel l lines, that are ordinarily resistant to infection with vectors conta ining the retroviral envelope protein. The ability to concentrate vesi cular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein pseudotyped vectors will facilit ate gene therapy model studies and other gene transfer experiments tha t require direct delivery of vectors in vivo. The availability of thes e pseudotyped vectors will also facilitate genetic studies in nonmamma lian species, including the important zebrafish developmental system, through the efficient introduction and expression of foreign genes.