TWiP 115: The Cuscuta Factor

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Daniel Griffin

The TWiPlets solve the sad case of the Boy Who Went Swimming, and explain why the tomato is resistant to the plant parasite Cuscuta.

Links for this episode:

• Detection of plant parasite by a tomato receptor (Science)
• Dodder (Wikipedia)
• Mixed messages (TWiP 77)
• Image credit
• Letters read on TWiP 115

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream, a subscription streaming service that offers over 1,400 documentaries and non­fiction series from the world's best filmmakers. Get unlimited access starting at just $2.99 a month, and for our audience, the first two months are completely free if you sign up at curiositystream.com/microbe and use the promo code MICROBE.

This episode is also sponsored by Drobo, a family of safe, expandable, yet simple to use storage arrays. Drobos are designed to protect your important data forever. Visit www.drobo.com to learn more.

Become a patron of TWiP.

Case Study for TWiP 115

This week's case is more challenging, but with a better outcome than last time. Thailand: 32 year old Thai man from southern coastal part of country, comes to ID hospital in Bangkok with two months of watery diarrhea. Rapid onset. Looks emaciated, protuberant belly. Ten times per day, has trouble flushing feces in toilet, floats. Eats normal fare, boat noodles, fish, rice, vegetables. Som tam - fish sauce from raw fish. Also with salted crab, not well cooked. No unusual past med history, healthy fisherman, no medication. Married with kids, everyone healthy. No bad habits. Monogamous. HIV negative. Liver, spleen not enlarged. Abdominal xray with contrast: loss of villi. Good appetite. No abdominal pain. Too weak to work. No vomiting.

Send your case diagnosis, questions and comments to [e-mail]