RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Verschoor, Ernst J. A1 Groenewoud, Marlous J. A1 Fagrouch, Zahra A1 Kewalapat, Aruna A1 van Gessel, Sabine A1 Kik, Marja J. L. A1 Heeney, Jonathan L.YR 2008 T1 Molecular characterization of the first polyomavirus from a New World primate: squirrel monkey polyomavirus JF Journal of General Virology, VO 89 IS 1 SP 130 OP 137 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.83287-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB DNA samples from a variety of New World monkeys were screened by using a broad-spectrum PCR targeting the VP1 gene of polyomaviruses. This resulted in the characterization of the first polyomavirus from a New World primate. This virus naturally infects squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sp.) and is provisionally named squirrel monkey polyomavirus (SquiPyV). The complete genome of SquiPyV is 5075 bp in length, and encodes the small T and large T antigens and the three structural proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3. Interestingly, the late region also encodes a putative agnoprotein, a feature that it shares with other polyomaviruses from humans, baboons and African green monkeys. Comparison with other polyomaviruses revealed limited sequence similarity to any other polyomavirus, and phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene confirmed its uniqueness., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.83287-0