Genetically attenuated nucleic acid vaccine

The disclosed compositions and methods provide an approach for the rational development of a nucleic acid vaccine. Methods are disclosed to deliver a viral genome, and/or a representative or derivative of such, that is attenuated but can, when co-delivered with unreplicable compensatory translational tools to a host cell, initially generate phenotypically wild-type, genetically attenuated viruses which infect subsequent cells and elicit a relevant and robust immune response. However, progeny of this initial generation, lacking the compensatory tools delivered to the initial host cells, are both phenotypically and genetically attenuated, thereby compromised in their ability to induce disease.