The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating
expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions
include a novel nucleotide sequence for a root-preferred promoter for the
gene encoding, a metallothionein gene and sequences isolated therefrom. A
method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using
the promoter sequences disclosed herein is provided. The method comprises
transforming a plant cell with a nucleotide sequence operably linked to
one of the root-preferred promoters of the present invention and
regenerating a stably transformed plant that expresses the nucleotide
sequence in a root-preferred manner from the transformed plant cell.
Compositions and methods for expressing metallothionein genes in plants,
plant cells and tissues are also provided. The compositions comprise
nucleotide sequences encoding plant metallothionein. The sequences are
useful in transforming plants for tissue-preferred or constitutive
expression of metallothionein. Such sequences find use in modulating
levels of metal ions in plants and plant tissues.
