Abstract: In the present study, a zinc-finger-like cDNA (ZFL) was isolated from the cDNA of Populus trichocarpa leaves, named PtrZFL. The open reading frame (ORF) of the gene is 315 bp in length and encodes a predicated polypeptide of 104 amino acids with a molecular weight of about 11.202 kDa, and the theoretical isoelectric point of which is 9.83. The expression of PtrZFL in P. trichocarpa in response to abiotic stress was studied by QRT-PCR, the results showed that the PtrZFL was response to treatments of mannitol, NaCl, H2O2, ABA and cold (4℃). The PtrZFL expression level was the highest 3 hours after treated by ABA and then decreased. The PtrZFL was rapidly and highly induced at the 6th hour when exposed to low temperature of 4℃ and kept high expression level with the continuing treatment. A 1000 bp sequence upstream of PtrZFL gene was cloned from the genomic DNA of P. trichocarpa by PCR based on the poplar genome sequence. Sequence analysis showed that the promoter of the PtrZFL gene contained stress-induced cis-acting elements (including cold, dehydration, frozen and ABA responsive elements ABRE, MYB and WRKY). The GUS activity was almost detected in whole plant of transgenic Arabidopsis, suggesting that this promoter could control the gene expression in the whole plant. Moreover, strong activity was detected in roots and mature leaves, and only weak expression could be detected in other organs.