True cyst formation in Tritrichomonas foetus: a survival and drug-resistance strategy redefining protozoan biology

True cyst formation in Tritrichomonas foetus: a survival and drug-resistance strategy redefining protozoan biology | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article True cyst formation in Tritrichomonas foetus: a survival and drug-resistance strategy redefining protozoan biology Veronica coceres, Lucrecia Iriarte, Andres Alonso, Cristian Martinez, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7411338/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Tritrichomonas 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 parasitology. Biological sciences/Microbiology/Parasitology/Parasite biology Biological sciences/Cell biology/Mechanisms of disease Tritrichomonas foetus Cyst Metronidazole resistance Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7411338","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":507539331,"identity":"f413df19-0d2c-45e6-8804-da28978cd4d7","order_by":0,"name":"Veronica 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