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Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae are a promising source of protein and lipid for animal feeds. The nutritional composition of the BSF larvae depend partly on the composition of the feeding medium. The BSF lipid profile in part mimics the feeding media lipid profile, and micronutrients, like minerals and vitamins, can readily accumulate in black soldier fly larvae. However, investigative studies on bioconversion and accumulation of nutrients from media to black soldier fly larvae are scarce. Here we show that inclusion of the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum in the substrate for black soldier fly larvae can introduce valuable nutrients, commonly associated with the marine environment, into the larvae. The omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), iodine and vitamin E concentrations increased in the larvae when more seaweed was included in the diet. When the feeding media consisted of more than 50% seaweed, the larvae experienced poorer growth, lower nutrient retention and lower lipid levels, compared to a pure plant based feeding medium. Our results confirm the plasticity of the nutritional make-up of black soldier fly larvae, allowing it to accumulate both lipid- and water-soluble compounds. A broader understanding of the effect of the composition of the feeding media on the larvae composition can help to tailor black soldier fly larvae into a nutrient profile more suited for specific feed or food purposes.

Eutrophication and global climate change lead to expansion of hypoxia in the ocean, often accompanied by the production of hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to higher organisms. Chemoautotrophic bacteria are thought to buffer against increased sulfide concentrations by oxidizing hydrogen sulfide before its diffusion to oxygenated surface waters. Model organisms from such environments have not been readily available, which has contributed to a poor understanding of these microbes. We present here a detailed study of "Sulfurimonas gotlandica" str. GD1, an Epsilonproteobacterium isolated from the Baltic Sea oxic-anoxic interface, where it plays a key role in nitrogen and sulfur cycling. Whole-genome analysis and laboratory experiments revealed a high metabolic flexibility, suggesting a considerable capacity for adaptation to variable redox conditions. S. gotlandica str. GD1 was shown to grow chemolithoautotrophically by coupling denitrification with oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds and dark CO 2 fixation. Metabolic versatility was further suggested by the use of a range of different electron donors and acceptors and organic carbon sources. The number of genes involved in signal transduction and metabolic pathways exceeds those of other Epsilonproteobacteria. Oxygen tolerance and environmental-sensing systems combined with chemotactic responses enable this organism to thrive successfully in marine oxygen-depletion zones. We propose that S. gotlandica str. GD1 will serve as a model organism in investigations that will lead to a better understanding how members of the Epsilonproteobacteria are able to cope with water column anoxia and the role these microorganisms play in the detoxification of sulfidic waters. marine bacteria | sulfide oxidation | isolation | genomics

The rigid tris- and bis(catecholamide) ligands H(6)A, H(4)B and H(4)C form tetrahedral clusters of the type M(4)L(4) and M(4)L(6) through self-assembly reactions with tri- and tetravalent metal ions such as Ga(III), Fe(III), Ti(IV) and Sn(IV). General design principles for the synthesis of such clusters are presented with an emphasis on geometric requirements and kinetic and thermodynamic considerations. The solution and solid-state characterization of these complexes is presented, and their dynamic solution behavior is described. The tris-catecholamide H(6)A forms M(4)L(4) tetrahedra with Ga(III), Ti(IV), and Sn(IV); (Et(3)N)(8)[Ti(4)A(4)] crystallizes in R3(-)c (No. 167), with a = 22.6143(5) A, c = 106.038(2) A. The cluster is a racemic mixture of homoconfigurational tetrahedra (all Delta or all Lambda at the metal centers within a given cluster). Though the synthetic procedure for synthesis of the cluster is markedly metal-dependent, extensive electrospray mass spectrometry investigations show that the M(4)A(4) (M = Ga(III), Ti(IV), and Sn(IV)) clusters are remarkably stable once formed. Two approaches are presented for the formation of M(4)L(6) tetrahedral clusters. Of the bis(catecholamide) ligands, H(4)B forms an M(4)L(6) tetrahedron (M = Ga(III)) based on an "edge-on" design, while H(4)C forms an M(4)L(6) tetrahedron (M = Ga(III), Fe(III)) based on a "face-on" strategy. K(5)[Et(4)N](7)[Fe(4)C(6)] crystallizes in I43(-)d (No. 220) with a = 43.706(8) A. This M(4)L(6) tetrahedral cluster is also a racemic mixture of homoconfigurational tetrahedra and has a cavity large enough to encapsulate a molecule of Et(4)N(+). This host-guest interaction is maintained in solution as revealed by NMR investigations of the Ga(III) complex.

The rational syntheses of meso-tetraaryl-3-oxo-2-oxaporphyrins 5, known as porpholactones, via MnO 4 − mediated oxidations of the corresponding meso-tetraaryl-2,3dihydroxychlorins ( 7) is detailed. Since chlorin 7 is prepared from the parent porphyrin 1, this amounts to a 2-step replacement of a pyrrole moiety in 1 by an oxazolone moiety. The stepwise reduction of the porpholactone 5 results in the formation of chlorin analogues, meso-tetraaryl-3-hydroxy-2oxachlorin ( 11) and meso-tetraaryl-2-oxachlorins (12). The reactivity of 11 with respect to nucleophilic substitution by O-, N-, and S-nucleophiles is described. The profound photophysical consequences of the formal replacement of a pyrrole with an oxazolone (porphyrin-like chromophore) or (substituted) oxazole moiety (chlorin-like chromophore with, for the parent oxazolochlorin 12, red-shifted Q x band with enhanced oscillator strengths) are detailed and rationalized on the basis of SAC−CI and MNDO-PSDCI molecular orbital theory calculations. The single crystal X-ray structures of the porpholactones point at a minor steric interaction between the carbonyl oxygen and the flanking phenyl group. The essentially planar structures of all chromophores in all oxidation states prove that the observed optical properties originate from the intrinsic electronic properties of the chromophores and are not subject to conformational modulation.