The invention provides RSV fusion (F) protein ectodomain polypeptide sequences and nucleotide sequences encoding them, as well as cells containing the inventions polypeptide and nucleotide sequences. The invention further provides VLPs that contain the inventions polypeptides, and methods for using the VLPs for protein expression and vaccine formulation. Also provided are methods for distinguishing between subjects immunized with the inventions compositions and subjects infected with RSV.
