Several mRNAs are specifically transported to the anterior and posterior regions of Drosophila oocytes by microtubule-based motor proteins, but the organization of microtubules in these cells is unclear. Parton et al.   reveal that oocyte microtubules are highly dynamic and display a PAR-1-dependent bias in polarity that facilitates transport of oskar mRNA to the oocyte posterior. This biosights episode presents the paper by Parton et al. from the July 11, 2011, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with authors Richard Parton and Ilan Davis (University of Oxford, UK). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.