Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid constructs comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a vitelliform macular dystrophy-2 (VMD2) promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding Rap1a. Disclosed are vectors comprising the nucleic acid constructs disclosed herein. Disclosed are compositions comprising the disclosed nucleic acid constructs or vectors. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject having age-related macular degeneration comprising administering one or more of the disclosed nucleic acid constructs, vectors, or compositions to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are vectors and compositions comprising a pol II promoter and an shRNA wherein the shRNA has a sense RNA strand and an antisense RNA strand, wherein the sense and the antisense RNA strands form an RNA duplex, and wherein the sense RNA strand comprises a nucleotide sequence identical to a target sequence in STAT3, VEGFR, or EPOR. Also disclosed are methods of treating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), methods of inhibiting expression of STAT3, VEGFR, and EPOR, and methods of regulating signaling events associated with intravitreal neovascularization (IVNV).

Abstract: Disclosed are vectors and compositions comprising a pol II promoter and an shRNA wherein the shRNA has a sense RNA strand and an antisense RNA strand, wherein the sense and the antisense RNA strands form an RNA duplex, and wherein the sense RNA strand comprises a nucleotide sequence identical to a target sequence in STAT3, VEGFR, or EPOR. Also disclosed are methods of treating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), methods of inhibiting expression of STAT3, VEGFR, and EPOR, and methods of regulating signaling events associated with intravitreal neovascularization (IVNV).

Abstract: Four chimeric genes are disclosed. A first chimeric gene encoding a plant cystathionine .gamma.-synthase (CS), a second chimeric gene encoding feedback-insensitive aspartokinase, which is operably linked to a plant chloroplast transit sequence, a third chimeric gene encoding bifunctional feedback-insensitive aspartokinase-homoserine dehydrogenase (AK-HDH), which is operably linked to a plant chloroplast transit sequence, and a fourth chimeric gene encoding a methionine-rich protein, all operably linked to plant seed-specific regulatory sequences are discussed. Methods for their use to produce increased levels of methionine in the seeds of transformed plants are provided.