This invention provides an embryo specific promoter, e.g. derived from the 5' regulatory region of an emb5 gene. Compositions comprising this promoter include DNA constructs useful for plant transformation and plants transformed with such DNA constructs. Further provided are methods for the expression of transgenes in plants using the embryo specific promoter sequences. The methods of the invention include the direct creation of transgenic plants with the emb5 promoter by genetic transformation, as well as by plant breeding methods. The sequences of the invention represent a valuable new tool for the creation of transgenic plants, preferably having one or more added beneficial characteristics.
