Provided are constructs and methods for expressing a transgene in plant cells and/or plant tissues using the regulatory elements including the promoters and/or 3 -UTRs isolated from Brachypodium distachyon ubiquitin genes. In one embodiment an expression vector is provided wherein the regulatory elements of a ubiquitin gene are operably linked to a polylinker sequence. In accordance with one embodiment a plant plant tissue or plant cell is provided comprising a promoter operably linked to a non ubiquitin transgene.