In accordance with the invention, isolated nucleic acids, expression methods, host cells, expression vectors, and DNA constructs for producing proteins, and proteins produced using the expression methods are described. More particularly, nucleic acids isolated from Pichia pastoris wherein the nucleic acids have promoter activity are described. The invention also relates to expression methods, host cells, expression vectors, and DNA constructs, for using the Pichia pastoris promoters to produce proteins and polypeptides, and to the proteins and polypeptides produced using the expression methods.