We characterized the genome and proteins of the canine minute virus (the minute virus of canines (MVC)). The genome sequence showed MVC to be an autonomous parvovirus encoding a large nonstructural protein 1 gene, a smaller nonstructural protein, and overlapping VP1 and VP2 protein genes. The virus was most closely related to bovine parvovirus (BPV), with which it was 43% identical at the DNA sequence level, while the NS1 and VP1 proteins were 33.6 and 41.4% identical to those of BPV, respectively. Spliced messages of the NS1 gene transcripts were detected by RT-PCR. VP1 and VP2 proteins were detected in purified capsids, as were modified versions of each protein, and VP3 was also found in full capsids.