GEOapplication/xmlftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/series/GSE306nnn/GSE306990/primaryOK200TranscriptomicsTritrichomonas foetusExpression profiling by high throughput sequencinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE306990GEOGSEfalseTrue cyst formation in Tritrichomonas foetus: a survival and drug-resistance strategy redefining protozoan biologyTritrichomonas foetus, a protozoan parasite responsible for bovine and feline trichomonosis, has traditionally been considered to form only pseudocysts. Here, we reveal that T. foetus produces true cysts characterized by chitin like components-rich, fibrillar walls, cytoskeletal reorganization, and resistance to detergent treatment. Cystogenesis is induced by environmental stresses such as nutrient deprivation, alkaline pH mimicking the bovine preputial milieu, and exposure to metronidazole, a frontline antiparasitic drug. This encystation enhances parasite survival and suggests a novel drug-resistance mechanism. Transcriptomic profiling identifies key pathways involved in cyst wall biosynthesis and regulation, including Myb-like transcription factors and calcium/calmodulin dependent kinases. Encysted parasites also undergo DNA replication without cytokinesis, suggesting a strategy for rapid multiplication through multiple fission upon excystation. Our findings fundamentally reshape the understanding of T. foetus biology, highlight a critical stage in its transmission cycle, and have significant implications for therapeutic and diagnostic strategies in veterinary parasitology2026/03/23GSE306990GSM9213554GSM9213555GSM9213556GSM9213551GSM9213552GSM921355336200306990Tritrichomonas foetus