Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores
ABSTRACT Glycerol monolaurate is a broadly antimicrobial fatty acid monoester, killing bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. The compound kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis, suggesting that the molecule may kill spores. In this study, we examined the ability of glycerol monolaur...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2018-12-01
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| Series: | mSphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphereDirect.00597-18 |
| _version_ | 1818916948198555648 |
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| author | Patrick M. Schlievert Samuel H. Kilgore Gabriela M. Kaus Theresa D. Ho Craig D. Ellermeier |
| author_facet | Patrick M. Schlievert Samuel H. Kilgore Gabriela M. Kaus Theresa D. Ho Craig D. Ellermeier |
| author_sort | Patrick M. Schlievert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Glycerol monolaurate is a broadly antimicrobial fatty acid monoester, killing bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. The compound kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis, suggesting that the molecule may kill spores. In this study, we examined the ability of glycerol monolaurate alone or solubilized in a nonaqueous gel to kill vegetative cells and spores of aerobic B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and B. cereus and anaerobic Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile. Glycerol monolaurate alone was bactericidal for all five organisms tested. Glycerol monolaurate alone was effective in killing spores. When solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, the glycerol monolaurate gel was bactericidal for all spores tested. The data suggest that glycerol monolaurate nonaqueous gel could be effective in decontaminating environmental and body surfaces, such as skin. IMPORTANCE Bacillus and Clostridium spores are known to be highly resistant to killing, persisting on environmental and human body surfaces for long periods of time. In favorable environments, these spores may germinate and cause human diseases. It is thus important to identify agents that can be used on both environmental and human skin and mucosal surfaces and that are effective in killing spores. We previously showed that the fatty acid monoester glycerol monolaurate (GML) kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis. Since such cultures are likely to contain spores, it is possible that GML and a human-use-approved GML nonaqueous gel would kill Bacillus and Clostridium spores. The significance of our studies is that we have identified GML, and, to a greater extent, GML solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, as effective in killing spores from both bacterial genera. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T00:26:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17ccaa1dd2fa4ec29db3125f520c9860 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2379-5042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T00:26:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mSphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-17ccaa1dd2fa4ec29db3125f520c98602022-12-21T20:00:03ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymSphere2379-50422018-12-013610.1128/mSphereDirect.00597-18Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> SporesPatrick M. Schlievert0Samuel H. Kilgore1Gabriela M. Kaus2Theresa D. Ho3Craig D. Ellermeier4Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USAABSTRACT Glycerol monolaurate is a broadly antimicrobial fatty acid monoester, killing bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. The compound kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis, suggesting that the molecule may kill spores. In this study, we examined the ability of glycerol monolaurate alone or solubilized in a nonaqueous gel to kill vegetative cells and spores of aerobic B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and B. cereus and anaerobic Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile. Glycerol monolaurate alone was bactericidal for all five organisms tested. Glycerol monolaurate alone was effective in killing spores. When solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, the glycerol monolaurate gel was bactericidal for all spores tested. The data suggest that glycerol monolaurate nonaqueous gel could be effective in decontaminating environmental and body surfaces, such as skin. IMPORTANCE Bacillus and Clostridium spores are known to be highly resistant to killing, persisting on environmental and human body surfaces for long periods of time. In favorable environments, these spores may germinate and cause human diseases. It is thus important to identify agents that can be used on both environmental and human skin and mucosal surfaces and that are effective in killing spores. We previously showed that the fatty acid monoester glycerol monolaurate (GML) kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis. Since such cultures are likely to contain spores, it is possible that GML and a human-use-approved GML nonaqueous gel would kill Bacillus and Clostridium spores. The significance of our studies is that we have identified GML, and, to a greater extent, GML solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, as effective in killing spores from both bacterial genera.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphereDirect.00597-18BacillusClostridiumendosporesglycerol monolaurate |
| spellingShingle | Patrick M. Schlievert Samuel H. Kilgore Gabriela M. Kaus Theresa D. Ho Craig D. Ellermeier Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores mSphere Bacillus Clostridium endospores glycerol monolaurate |
| title | Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores |
| title_full | Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores |
| title_fullStr | Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores |
| title_short | Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill <italic toggle="yes">Bacillus</italic> and <italic toggle="yes">Clostridium</italic> Spores |
| title_sort | glycerol monolaurate gml and a nonaqueous five percent gml gel kill italic toggle yes bacillus italic and italic toggle yes clostridium italic spores |
| topic | Bacillus Clostridium endospores glycerol monolaurate |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphereDirect.00597-18 |
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