Sub-retroviral particles as gene transfer vectors that by-pass retrovirus-receptor interaction restrictions

Retroviral infection initiates with the binding of the virus envelope protein to cell membrane receptors. However, it is unclear whether this interaction is necessary for subsequent events required to establish infection. To address this problem subretroviral particles containing a retroviral vector genome carrying a beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) gene have been microinjected into cells. Here we show that such cells become infected as judged by expression of beta-gal activity, suggesting that virus-receptor interaction is not required for infection. Such subretroviral particles lacking an envelope may be useful both for safer gene transfer procedures and gene transfer to cells that do not express the cognate virus receptor.