Atlas antibodies and the MolBoolean™

Please introduce yourself and tell us about Atlas Antibodies. What is the company’s core mission statement?

Joel: Atlas Antibodies is a life science company based in Sweden. We are dedicated to advancing protein science and medical discovery to improve global health and well-being. Founded in 2006 by researchers from the Human Protein Atlas project, our mission is to provide high-quality antibodies to scientists worldwide, helping them drive groundbreaking research.

The Human Protein Atlas project aimed to map protein expression and localization throughout the human body, leading to the development of highly specific antibodies. Today, Atlas Antibodies continues to support the project, offering products used across 12 Atlases in the open-source Human Protein Atlas database.

Our portfolio includes Triple A Polyclonals, PrecisA Monoclonals, and PrEST Antigens, all known for their precision and reliability. In 2024, we launched MolBoolean™, a cutting-edge technology for studying protein-protein interactions.

With over 22,000 validated antibodies, our products are vital for researchers working to improve human health. Our vision is to contribute to every therapeutic breakthrough, leading to better diagnostics and patient outcomes worldwide.

You recently exhibited at SfN 2024. What were you excited to showcase at the event?

Joel: At SfN 2024, we were excited to spotlight Atlas Antibodies’ extensive portfolio of antibodies, particularly our strong connection to the Human Protein Atlas. Our products serve as invaluable tools for neuroscience research, and we’re currently running a focused campaign on antibodies used to map the human brain in both health and disease.

What makes this year special is the launch of our next-generation in-situ proximity ligation technology with the MolBoolean™ kit. This innovative tool is designed for protein-protein interaction studies, enabling researchers to gain deeper insights into cellular mechanisms.

We’ve already had many engaging conversations with the research community here at SfN, and we’re thrilled by the positive reception so far. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with scientists and showcase how our next-generation proximity technology can drive advancements in neuroscience and beyond.

You recently launched a new product, the MolBoolean™ assay kit. Could you please tell us a little about the kit and how it works?

Carolyn: The MolBoolean™ assay kit is a novel in-situ proximity technology designed for analyzing protein-protein interactions in tissues and cells. Professor Ola Söderberg at Uppsala University invented the technology, coining the name “MolBoolean,” which comes from the Boolean logic of operators—AND, OR, and NOT—applied at the molecular level.

Atlas Antibodies secured the rights to patent this innovative technology in 2019 and has since developed a user-friendly kit that researchers can rely on to unlock the secrets of protein-protein interactions in cells and tissue by simultaneously detecting free and interacting proteins.

MolBoolean works similarly to in-situ PLA, using an antibody and nucleic acid-based approach to amplify signals. However, what sets MolBoolean™ apart is its ability to generate different fluorescent outputs based on whether the analyzed proteins are present individually or in complex with each other. For instance, two distinct signals are produced for free proteins A and B, while an overlapping signal is generated when proteins A and B are in close proximity or interacting.

This technology allows researchers to simultaneously visualize both interacting and non-interacting proteins with the same high resolution as in-situ PLA, providing deeper insights into cellular mechanisms and protein behavior.

MolBoolean™ assists with addressing key gaps in data interpretation. How does it do this?

Carolyn: MolBoolean™ offers several distinct advantages over traditional methods like in-situ PLA, effectively addressing key gaps in data interpretation. It enhances the reliability and accuracy of results in three critical ways:

1. Data Normalization: One of MolBoolean´s key strength is its ability to normalize the number of protein interactions to the total amount of target proteins. This is vital because the levels of target proteins can vary due to factors like cell treatments or disease states. By providing a normalized measurement, MolBoolean™ ensures more precise comparisons between samples, leading to more accurate data interpretation.
2. Detection of Interacting and Non-Interacting Fractions: Unlike traditional methods, MolBoolean™ can detect both interacting and non-interacting endogenous fractions of two protein targets in cells and tissues. This comprehensive detection increases the spatial information researchers can extract from an experiment, enabling them to pinpoint the locations of both positive and negative protein interactions. As a result, researchers gain a clearer, more detailed understanding of the protein landscape.
3. Consistent Molecular Process: The rolling circle products (RCPs) generated from both free and interacting proteins in MolBoolean™ go through the same molecular process steps. This consistency ensures uniform signal efficiency, reducing variability and uncertainty during data analysis. Ultimately, this leads to more reliable and reproducible results.

The MolBoolean™ Kit. Image Credit: Atlas Antibodies

How does the MolBoolean™ help overcome in-situ PLA limitations?

Carolyn: To determine the fraction of proteins A and B that are in close proximity, many researchers use in-situ PLA, an antibody-nucleic acid-based proximity ligation assay that amplifies and generates fluorescent signals only when two proteins are near each other. This is a valuable tool for investigating protein interactions in-situ.

However, focusing solely on the fraction of interacting proteins provides an incomplete picture of the broader protein dynamics within a cell or across complex tissues. For example, cell treatments or disease conditions may impact the availability of protein interaction partners, altering the overall protein landscape. In these cases, it becomes crucial to use a proximity assay like MolBoolean™, which not only detects interacting proteins but also reveals the free and non-interacting protein fractions. This additional layer of information enables a more comprehensive understanding of protein interactions and their behavior under various conditions.

What applications can the MolBoolean™ be used across, and what advantages does the assay kit offer users compared to traditional kits?

Carolyn: MolBoolean™ is highly versatile and can be applied across various research fields, including neuroscience, cancer biology, immunology, and cell signaling, among others. It is especially valuable in studies requiring precise analysis of protein-protein interactions in both tissues and cells.

Compared to traditional kits, MolBoolean™ offers several distinct advantages:

• Simultaneous Detection of Interacting and Non-Interacting Proteins: Unlike traditional methods that focus only on interacting proteins, MolBoolean™ captures both interacting and non-interacting fractions. This provides a more complete picture of protein behavior and cellular dynamics.
• Data Normalization: MolBoolean™ normalizes protein interaction data to the total amount of target proteins, allowing for more accurate comparisons between different experimental conditions or treatment groups. This normalization ensures that results are not skewed by fluctuations in protein levels.
• High Sensitivity and Specificity: The kit generates distinct fluorescent signals for different protein states, offering high-resolution visualization of protein proximity and interactions. This increased sensitivity helps researchers detect even subtle changes in protein behavior.
• Consistency in Signal Generation: MolBoolean™ uses the same molecular process to generate signals for both free and interacting proteins, ensuring consistent signal efficiency. This reduces variability and improves the reliability of data analysis.
• Free Image Processing and Analysis: MolBoolean™ is supported by a free image analysis pipeline in Cell Profiler, allowing users to efficiently process and analyze their data, further enhancing the kit’s ease of use. The link to the step-by-step image analysis video tutorial can be found here.

These features make MolBoolean™ a vital tool for researchers requiring reliable, in-depth insights into protein interactions and cellular mechanisms, setting it apart from traditional assay kits.

SfN presents an opportunity to discuss all the exciting advancements in neurological research over the past year. How does the MolBoolean™ contribute to these exciting advancements?

Joel: MolBoolean™ offers researchers in neuroscience a powerful new tool to explore the complexities of protein interactions, which are crucial for understanding brain function and dysfunction. By allowing simultaneous detection of both interacting and non-interacting protein fractions, MolBoolean™ helps reveal the underlying mechanisms of neurological processes, including synaptic plasticity, neurodegeneration, and protein misfolding—key factors in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This deeper insight into protein dynamics can drive discoveries in how neuronal proteins behave in health and disease, accelerating the development of targeted therapies and diagnostic tools.

MolBoolean – Unlock the secrets of protein protein interactions in cells and tissuePlay