Vector-free delivery of gene editing proteins and compositions to cells and tissues

1. A method for delivering a gene editing composition across a plasma membrane of a cell, comprising:

providing a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), U2OS, Jurkat or T cells; and

contacting the population of cells with a volume of a hypotonic aqueous solution, the hypotonic aqueous solution comprising the gene editing composition, ethanol at a concentration of about 25% (v/v), about 32 mM sucrose, about 12 mM potassium chloride, about 12 mM ammonium acetate, about 5 mM 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), and about 2.5 mM MgCl 2 ,

wherein the volume is a function of: (i) exposed surface area of the population of cells; or (ii) a number of cells in the population of cells;

wherein the gene editing composition includes a Cas9 protein and a gRNA complex;

wherein contacting the population of cells with the volume of the hypotonic aqueous solution is performed by gas propelling the hypotonic aqueous solution to form a spray.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gene editing composition is detectable in said population of cells, or the progeny thereof, for

(a) about 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 24, 48, 60, 72, 0.5-2, 0.5-6, 6-12 or 0.5-72 hours after the population of cells is contacted with the aqueous solution, or

(b) less than about 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 24, 48, 60, 72, 0.5-2, 0.5-6, 6-12 or 0.5-72 hours after the population of cells is contacted with the aqueous solution.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of cells, or the progeny thereof:

(a) becomes genetically modified after contact with the aqueous solution; or

(b) is viable after contact with the aqueous solution.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gene editing composition:

(a) induces single-strand or double-strand breaks in DNA within the cells; or

(b) comprises a repair template polynucleotide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gene editing composition further comprises a repair template polynucleotide, wherein the repair template comprises

(a) a first flanking region comprising nucleotides in a sequence complementary to about 40 to about 90 base pairs on one side of the single or double strand break and a second flanking region comprising nucleotides in a sequence complementary to about 40 to about 90 base pairs on the other side of the single or double strand break;

(b) a first flanking region comprising nucleotides in a sequence complementary to at least about 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 base pairs on one side of the single or double strand break and a second flanking region comprising nucleotides in a sequence complementary to at least about 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 base pairs on the other side of the single or double strand break.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the volume of aqueous solution is delivered to the population of cells in the form of a spray of aqueous particles;

(b) the volume is between 2.6×10 −9 microliter per square micrometer of exposed surface area and 1.1×10 −6 microliter per square micrometer of exposed surface area;

(c) the population of cells is in contact with said aqueous solution for 0.1-10 minutes prior to adding a second volume of buffer or culture medium to submerse or suspend said population of cells; or

(d) the volume of aqueous solution is delivered to the population of cells in the form of a spray of aqueous particles, and wherein a buffer or culture medium comprises phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is added to submerse or suspend the population of cells after said population of cells is in contact with the aqueous particles for 0.1-10 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume of aqueous solution is delivered to the population of cells in the form of a spray of aqueous particles, wherein

(a) the volume of the spray of aqueous particles is between 6.0×10 −7 microliter per cell and 7.4×10 −4 microliter per cell; and/or

(b) the aqueous particles have discrete units of volume ranging in size from 10 nm to 100 μm, 30-100 μm, 50-80 μm or 30-50 μm in diameter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray comprises a colloidal or sub-particle comprising a diameter of 10 nm to 100 μm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous solution:

(a) further comprises an additive, wherein said additive comprises a heat shock protein or a sugar alcohol;

(b) does not comprise glycerol;

(c) further comprises an additive, wherein said additive comprises a heat shock protein or a sugar alcohol, and wherein said heat shock protein comprises α-crystallin;

(d) further comprises an additive, wherein said additive comprises a heat shock protein or a sugar alcohol, wherein said heat shock protein comprises α-crystallin, and wherein said α-crystallin is present in a concentration of about 1 to about 500 μM; or

(e) further comprises an additive, wherein said additive comprises a heat shock protein or a sugar alcohol, wherein said sugar alcohol comprises sorbitol in concentration of about 1 to about 10% weight/volume.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MSCs comprise bone marrow-derived MSCs.