Recombinant viral vectors

1. A chimeric EnvG protein comprising

a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G signal peptide,

a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp120 protein, and

a HIV-VSV G gp41 fusion protein,

wherein the VSV G signal peptide replaces an HIV Env signal peptide,

wherein the gp41 fusion protein comprises a HIV gp41 protein, and

wherein the membrane proximal external region (MPER), transmembrane (TM) and cytoplasmic tail (CT) of the HIV gp41 protein are replaced with a VSV G protein MPER, TM and CT.

2. The chimeric EnvG protein of claim 1 wherein the HIV Env is recognized by antibodies PG9, PG16, 2G12, b12, 2F5, 4E10 or Z13.

3. A VSV vector containing and expressing a nucleic acid encoding the chimeric EnvG protein of claim 1 .

4. An immunogenic composition comprising the chimeric EnvG protein of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

5. A recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vector encoding a VSV G protein comprising a leader peptide, an ectodomain, a stem, a trans-membrane spanning domain and a cytoplasmic tail, wherein the VSV G protein harbors epitopes from an HIV Env membrane proximal external region (MPER) inserted into the stem region of VSV G protein, wherein the MPER sequence contains an insertion and/or substitution of HIV epitopes 2F5 comprising the sequence ELDKWASL and/or 4E10 comprising the sequence WFDITNWLWY.

6. The vector of claim 5 , wherein for an insertion of the HIV epitope(s), the HIV epitope(s) and flanking regions are added into the VSV G stem region.

7. The vector of claim 5 , wherein for a substitution, residues in the VSV G stem region are replaced by the HIV epitope(s).

8. The vector of claim 5 , wherein 2F5 and/or 4E10 bind adjacent linear epitopes in the gp41 MPER.