Many of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the mitotic segregation of chromosomes have been established, especially in animal cells. The centrosome, for example, is a well-defined structure of the animal cell that organizes the microtubules of the spindle apparatus, which in turn drives the movement of chromosomes. Plant cells, on the other hand, are acentriolar and therefore lack an obvious centrosome. Microtubule organization in plants, particularly as related to the cell cycle, thus continues to be an important matter of investigation. Significantly, components of the animal centrosome, such as -tubulin and centrin, have been found in plant cells. On pages 433-442 of this issue, Binarová et al. further explore the role of -tubulin in plants. Their image of a preprophase fava bean (Vicia faba) nucleus on the cover shows the concentration of -tubulin (stained red) at the two nuclear caps and in association with the kinetochore regions (appearing pink) of the condensed chromosomes (stained blue). The subcellular localization of -tubulin in the organization of plant-specific microtubules may speak to basic mechanisms of mitosis.