The embodiments of the present invention are directed to discrete, cis-acting regulatory elements that include a barrier element, an insulating element, a silencing element, and matrix attachment regions ("MARs"). Additional embodiments of the present invention are directed to nucleic acid molecules that are useful for facilitating stable transgene expression within a chromatin environment. Additional embodiments of the present invention are directed to recombinant expression vectors including nucleic acid molecules of the present invention that can be incorporated into artificial chromosomes, eukaryotic cell-lines, non-human transgenic animals, and transgenic plants, to improve recombinant protein production in a broad range of eukaryotic hosts, and pharmaceutical compositions including nucleic acid molecules of the present invention that are also useful for gene therapy in the treatment of various genetic diseases.