Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aminoacyl-RS) catalyze the attachment of an amino acid to its cognate tRNA. Five of 20 human aminoacyl-RS (histidyl-RS, threonyl-RS, isoleucyl-RS, glycyl-RS, and alanyl-RS) have been identified as targets of autoantibodies in the autoimmune disease polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM; 9). A sixth autoantigenic amino-acyl-RS, lysyl-RS, was recently reported. The genes for histidyl-RS and threonyl-RS have been assigned to chromosome 5, as have the genes for leucyl-RS and arginyl-RS. Six other aminoacyl-RS (glutamyl-prolyl-RS, valyl-RS, cysteinyl-RS, methionyl-RS, tryptophanyl-RS, and asparaginyl-RS) were assigned to chromosomes 1, 6, 11, 12, 14, and 18, respectively. The reason for a preponderance of aminoacyl-RS genes on chromosome 5 is unknown, but it has been suggested that regulatory relatedness might be a factor. Recently the entire or partial cDNA sequences for two autoantigenic aminoacyl-RS genes, glycyl-RS (gene symbol GARS; 4) and alanyl-RS (gene symbol AARS; 1), were reported. To understand further the genesis of autoimmune responses to aminoacyl-RS and to determine whether genes for autoantigenic aminoacyl-RS colocalize to chromosome 5, we have determined the chromosomal site of the GARS and AARS genes by PCR-based screening of somatic cell hybrid panels and by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. 10 refs., 1 fig.