Aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) (L-aspartate : 2-oxyoglutarate, EC 2.6. 1. 1.) from Streptomyces fradiae NRRL 2702 has been purified by acetone precipitation, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite, and preparative electrophoresis (Prep cell), of which the last was the most effective step in the purification of ASAT. The molecular mass was estimated to be 54,000 dalton by SDS-PAGE and 120,000 dalton by gel filtration chromatography. Preparative isoelectric focusing of purified ASAT resulted in one polypeptide band with a pI of 4.2, showing homogeneity and indicating that the enzyme is composed of two identical subunits. The enzyme was specific for L-aspartate as an amino donor ; the $K_{m}$ values were determined to be 2.7 mM for L-aspartate, 0.7 mM for 2-oxoglutarate, 12.8 mM for L-glutamate, and 0.15 mM for oxaloacetate. The enzyme was relatively heat-stable, having maximum activity at 55.deg.C, and it had a broad pH optimum ranging from 5.5 to 8.0. The activity of the purified enzyme was not inhibited by ammonium ions. This paper reports the first purification and characterization of the aspartate aminotransferase from a species of Streptomyces.s.