Identification and characterization of a novel bat polyomavirus in Japan

A novel polyomavirus (PyV) was identified in the intestinal contents of Japanese eastern bent-wing bats ( Miniopterus fuliginosus ) via metagenomic analysis. We subsequently sequenced the full genome of the virus, which has been tentatively named Miniopterus fuliginosus polyomavirus (MfPyV). The nucleotide sequence identity of the genome with those of other bat PyVs was less than 80%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MfPyV belonged to the same cluster as PyVs detected in Miniopterus schreibersii . This study has identified the presence of a novel PyV in Japanese bats and provided genetic information about the virus.