In Gram(+) bacteria and organelles in higher eukarotes, $Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ utilized for protein biosynthesis is formed by a tRNA-dependent amino acid transformation using mischarged $Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ as the intermediate. In this study, the gatCAB gene encoding $Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ amidotransferase (Glu-AdT) of Staphylococcus aureus was cloned and its nucleotide sequence wa determined. The S. aureus gatCAB gene was organized in an operon structure consisting of three open reading frames (gatC, gatA, and gatB), similar to that of Bacillus subtilis. The gene sequences for the A and B subunits of$Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ amidotransferase showed significant homology (77 and 87% homology with amino acid sequence) with the gatA and gatB genes of B. subtilis, yet the C subunit (gatC) showed a relatively lowe homology with the B. subtilis gatC gene and other orthologues. The cloned S. aureus <$Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ amidotransferase gene was highly expressed in Escherichia coli, and the resulting crude enzyme could convert misacylated <$Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ into $Gln-tRNA^{Gln}$ in vitro.