The present invention is based on the finding that parvovirus (including AAV) capsids can be engineered to incorporate small, selective regions from other parvoviruses that confer desirable properties. In some embodiments, a substitution of a single amino acid that is unique to the AAV6 capsid (Lys-531) among other AAVs that have been characterized to date can confer one or more desirable properties to other AAVs.