The promoter and the 5′-untranslated region of rice metallothionein OsMT2b gene are capable of directing high-level gene expression in germinated rice embryos

Key message Critical regions within the rice metallothionein OsMT2b gene promoter are identified and the 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) is found essential for the high-level promoter activity in germinated transgenic rice embryos.