The size distribution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activity was investigated in cell extracts prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bio-Gel A-5M chromatography of 105,000 g supernatants separated isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase activity into three peaks, with apparent molecular masses (Da) of about 100,000, 350,000 and 10(6) or greater. Similar results were obtained with synthetases specific for glutamic acid, serine and tyrosine. Sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation of yeast supernatants also provided evidence for the existence of synthetase complexes. These data provide the first evidence for the existence of a high-molecular-mass aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex in yeast, perhaps similar to those reported in higher eukaryotes.