Parasitic Plant Dodder 2 (IMAGE) Penn State Caption Dodder, a parasitic plant, attached to a host plant from which it obtains water and nutrients. The parasite inserts microRNAs into the host that can silence the expression of host genes. This is the first example of cross-species gene regulation observed in a parasitic plant. Credit Penn State University Usage Restrictions Image credit must be published alongside the image. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.