Glycogenin is the autocatalytic, self-glucosylating primer for glycogen synthesis, providing the anchor on which the macromolecule is constructed. We have sequenced the cDNA coding for human muscle glycogenin and have deduced the corresponding amino acid sequence. By means of the polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization, we have found the chromosomal location of the gene coding for glycogenin. This is localized to human chromosome 3, band q24. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.