Compositions and methods relating to the use of tetracycline repressor in plants are provided. Compositions include a polynucleotide modified for expression in a plant, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a tetracycline repressor protein, as well as constructs, vectors, cells, plants and seeds comprising the polynucleotide, an/or produced by the methods. Also provided are methods to provide tetracycline repressor to a cell, and to regulate expression of a polynucleotide of interest in a cell, including a plant cell.