Nuclear energy is a big deal for the United States. It's not just about keeping the lights on, but also about national security and the economy. For a long time, the U. S. has been a leader in nuclear power. From 1954 to 1978, 133 civilian nuclear reactors were built at 81 power plants. But since 1978, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been slow to approve new reactors. Only two new reactors have started operating commercially. The NRC charges by the hour to process license applications, which can take a long time and cost a lot of money. This slow process is holding back the growth of nuclear power.

The NRC's approach to safety is also a problem. They use outdated models that assume any amount of radiation is harmful. This leads to unnecessary regulations that make nuclear power more expensive and slower to develop. Other forms of energy also have risks, like pollution, but the NRC focuses too much on tiny risks from radiation. This needs to change. Recent events in Europe, like blackouts in Spain and Portugal, show why reliable power sources like nuclear energy are crucial.

The current administration wants to change things. They want the U. S. to lead the world in nuclear energy again. This means building new reactors and expanding existing ones. The goal is to increase nuclear energy capacity from 100 GW in 2024 to 400 GW by 2050. To do this, the NRC needs to be reformed. Its structure, rules, and how it operates all need an overhaul. The focus should be on making the licensing process faster and more efficient, while still ensuring safety.

The NRC's culture needs to change too. It should promote nuclear power while keeping safety in mind. This means considering the benefits of nuclear energy for the economy and national security, not just safety. The NRC's structure and staffing also need to align with this new focus. This could mean reducing some functions and increasing others, like new reactor licensing.

The NRC's rules and guidelines need a major update. This includes setting fixed deadlines for license approvals, adopting science-based radiation limits, and streamlining the public hearings process. The goal is to make the licensing process faster and more efficient, while still ensuring safety. The NRC should also establish an expedited pathway for approving reactor designs that have already been tested and proven safe. This could include microreactors and modular reactors, which are smaller and more flexible than traditional reactors.

Powering Up: The Push for Nuclear Energy Innovation

Soybean is a powerhouse of plant-based protein and oil. It packs a punch with 35-45% protein and 18-22% oil. However, there is a catch. A substance called Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (KTI) lurks within, making it tough for our bodies to use the protein effectively. This is where genetic science comes in.

The goal was clear: create soybeans without KTI. This would make the soybeans more nutritious and appealing to a global audience. The process involved a clever mix of plant breeding and genetic screening. Two sets of parent plants were chosen. The first set, known as recipient parents, included AMS-MB-5-18 and AMS-MB-5-19. The second set, the donor parents, were NRC-101 and NRC-127. These pairs were crossed to produce four unique combinations.

The next step was to identify plants carrying the desired null KTI allele. This was done through marker-assisted selection across several backcross generations. A whopping 342 SSR markers were used to check for genetic diversity and to ensure the new plants closely resembled the original parents. This was crucial for maintaining the desirable traits of the parent plants.

The process yielded 60 F1 seeds, with a success rate of 12%. Backcrossing continued, resulting in 259 BC1F2 plants, 45 BC1F3 plants, and finally, 8 BC1F4 plants that carried the null KTI allele. The recovery of the recurrent parent genome content increased with each generation. By the BC1F4 stage, Cross A (AMS MB 5-18 X NRC 101) achieved 84. 15% recovery, while Cross B (AMS MB 5-18 X NRC 127) reached 83. 72%.

The absence of the KTI peptide was confirmed using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This method is a reliable way to check for the presence of specific proteins. Additionally, the expression of the KTI3 gene was studied during two key seed developmental stages, R5 and R6. The results showed that the KTI3 gene was more active during the R5 stage. This finding is important for understanding how to control the expression of this gene in future soybean varieties.

The null parent lines showed minimal KTI3 expression, which aligns with their genetic makeup. This confirms that the introgression of the null KTI allele was successful and had the desired effect on the trait in advanced backcross populations. The journey to improve soybean nutrition is ongoing, but these findings are a significant step forward.