PKD1, the gene for the chromosome 16-linked form of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, has previously been genetically mapped to an interval bounded by the polymorphic loci Fr3-42/EKMDA2 distally and O327hb/O90a proximally. More recently, 26.6PROX was identified as the closest proximal flanking locus. We set out to refine the localization of PKD1 by identifying a series of single recombinant events between the flanking markers Fr3-42/EKMDA2 and O327hb/O90a and analyzing them with a new set of polymorphic loci that have been physically mapped within the PKD1 interval. We identified 11 such crossovers in eight families; 6 of these fell into the interval between GGG1 and 26.6PROX, a distance of less than 750 kb. Three of these crossovers placed PKD1 proximal to GGG1 and two crossovers placed PKD1 distal to 26.6PROX. Both of the latter also placed PKD1 telomeric to a locus 92.6SH1.0, which lies 200-250 kb distal to 26.6PROX. The sixth recombinant, however, placed the disease mutation proximal to the locus 92.6SH1.0. Several possible explanations for these observations are discussed. An intensive study to locate deletions, insertions, and other chromosomal rearrangements associated with PKD1 mutations failed to detect any such abnormalities. Thus we have defined, in genetic and physical terms, the segment of 16p13.3 where PKD1 resides and conclude that a gene-by-gene analysis of the region will be necessary to identify the mutation(s).