Microtubule and actin filament organization during acentral divisions in potato suspension culture cells

Microtubule and filamentous(F)-actin organization in the potato suspension culture line HH260 was studied by fluorescence microscopy in double-labelle d cells. During interphase, microtubules and F-actin were randomly arrayed in isodiametric cells but were aligned transversely to the direction of gro wth in elongated cells. Microtubules and F-actin coaligned in preprophase b ands which were, however, comparatively rare and diffuse. Interestingly, mo re than half of the cells in telophase contained phragmoplasts that were ei ther horseshoe-shaped or straight, instead of being round. We traced the ca use of this difference to preprophase, where misplaced nuclear localization away from the central axis of cells may give rise to acentrally placed spi ndles and, subsequently, to acentrally placed phragmoplasts and cell plates . Further, we hypothesize that it is the uneven fusion of the expanding cel l plates with the parent plasma membrane, and the accompanying depolymeriza tion of those parts of the phragmoplasts, that gives the incomplete phragmo plasts observed.