The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules corresponding to
regulatory portions of genes whose expression is constitutive. The
invention also relates to compositions and methods of using the same to
regulate the expression, in a constitutive manner, of genes and/or any
kind of nucleotide sequences in a plant. Nucleic acid molecules and its
compositions include novel nucleotide sequences for constitutive promoter
identified in and isolated from poplar (Populus spp). Methods for
expressing genes and/or any kind of nucleotide sequences in a plant using
the promoter sequences disclosed herein are provided. The methods
comprise stably incorporating into the genome of a plant cell a
nucleotide sequence operably linked to one or more of the constitutive
promoters of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed
plant that expresses the nucleotide sequence.