Creation of a completely helper cell-dependent recombinant morbillivirus

We have created a completely helper cell-dependent morbillivirus by modifying the genome to remove the coding sequence of the phosphoprotein (P) and recovering the recombinant virus in a cell line constitutively expressing the P protein. The P protein-deleted virus (P?) grew very inefficiently unless both of the viral accessory proteins (V and C) were also expressed. Growth of the virus was restricted to the P-expressing cell line. The P? virus grew more slowly than the parental virus and expressed much less viral protein in infected cells. The technique could be used to create virus-like particles for use as a vaccine or as antigen in immunological or serological assays.