SCNN1, a gene encoding a nonvoltage-gated sodium channel, was detected using a rat colon cDNA probe with homology to Caenorhabditis elegans degenerin genes. Human SCNN1 was assigned to chromosome 12 using the NIGMS hybrid mapping panel 2. Mouse SCNN1 was mapped to a conserved linkage group on distal chromosome 6. The observed order of mouse genes was centromere-Raf1-(2.1 +/- 2.1)-Scnn1, Vwf-(1.9 +/- 1.9)-Ntf3, with 0/101 recombinants between Scnn1 and Vwf. No rearrangements of genomic DNA were detected in the linked mouse mutations deaf waddler (dfw) and opisthotonus (opt).