This disclosure concerns compositions and methods for promoting transcription and translation of a nucleotide sequence in a plant or plant cell, employing a promoter and/or a 3′UTR from Zea mays Zrp2 gene. Some embodiments relate to a promoter from a Zea mays Zrp2 gene that is operably linked to a Zea mays Ubiquitin 1 intron and functions in plants to promote transcription of operably linked nucleotide sequences. Other embodiments relate to a 3′ UTR from a Zea mays Zrp2 gene that functions in plants to terminate transcription of operably linked nucleotide sequences.