Chemical profile of extracts from wild and farmed Chondrosia reniformis sponges

Aquaculture is increasingly regarded as a sustainable approach to meet the rising demand for marine-derived products. The sponge Chondrosia reniformis, still under-investigated, has emerged as a promising candidate for farming owing to its ability to produce valuable primary and secondary metabolites. In addition to its richness in collagen, the bioactive fatty acids and secondary metabolites of this species present significant potential for applications in biomedicine, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, while also supporting valuable bioremediation functions. This study investigates the cultivation prospects of C. reniformis by comparing the chemical profiles of wild and farmed sponges using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) with a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) approach. Extracts from both sponge populations were predominantly composed of fatty acids, primary metabolites known for diverse bioactivities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antimalarial, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical applications. Among these, 2-hydroxydocosanoic acid, arachidic acid, 2-hydroxytetracosanoic acid, oleic acid, and 15-methyl-9-hexadecenoic acid accounted for the majority of the fatty acid profile. Additionally, the sponge groups contained bioactive secondary metabolites, including the sesquiterpene quinone puupehenone and the diterpene lactone jaspisamide A. Farmed specimens exhibited greater chemical consistency, whereas wild specimens displayed higher chemical variability. Our findings reveal the metabolic similarities and differences between wild and farmed sponges, indicating that mariculture can optimize metabolite yields while ensuring sustainable production. C. reniformis thus emerges as a promising model for integrated aquaculture, offering ecological restoration benefits and a steady supply of high-value biomolecules as an alternative to wild harvesting.