FAME-CRISPR improves CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing via HDAC inhibition and engineered virus-like particle delivery

CRISPR-mediated gene editing using engineered virus-like particles (eVLPs) can achieve high efficiency, but performance varies with reduced effectiveness often seen in primary cells or when generating polyclonal models at scale. We developed a faster, accurate and 4-fold more efficient CRISPR-Cas9 (FAME-CRISPR) method using pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors with eVLP transduction compared to previous reports using other histone deacetylase inhibitors. Combined optimization of pan-HDACi treatment with eVLP enhanced double-strand break (DSB)-mediated CRISPR and base editing gave significantly edited populations within 2- to 3-cell mean population doublings, reducing the need for post-editing selection in immortalized cancer cells and in primary diploid fibroblasts that have limited replicative lifespans.