The present invention is directed to promoters isolated from maize and
functional equivalents thereto. The promoters of the present invention
have particular utility in driving root-specific expression of
heterologous genes that impart increased agronomic, horticultural and/or
pesticidal characteristics to a given promoters of the invention and
transformed plant tissues containing DNA molecules comprising a promoter
of the invention operably linked to a heterologous gene or genes, and
seeds thereof.