Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast cells grown on either fermentable or respiratory media were efficiently converted to stable spheroplasts by the alpha-(1-->3)-glucanase Novozym 234 in the presence of 1.2 M sorbitol. Lysis of spheroplasts by gentle homogenization in dilute sorbitol resulted in the preparation of mitochondria with a structure similar to that observed within the starting yeast cells. The isolated mitochondria exhibited high oxidation rates with various respiratory substrates, NADH being the most efficient. The mitochondria appeared well coupled since the second State 4 rate observed after ADP consumption was identical to the initial one. The State 3 rate in the presence of ADP was completely inhibited by low oligomycin concentrations, similarly to the concomitant ATP synthesis of 900 nmol/min x mg protein. These NADH oxidation and dependent ATP-synthesis activities are much higher than those previously described for mitochondria isolated from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and similar to the highest values reported for Saccharomyces cerevisiae.