LSD1-like proteins are a family of plant-specific transcription factors that contain a specific class of C2C2 type zinc finger domain. Two members of this family have been identified and proved to control plant programmed cell death (PCD) in Arabidopsis. Here, a novel rice LSD1-like gene was cloned from a cDNA library and designated as OsLSD1 (for Oryza sativa LSD1). The cDNA is 988 bp in size, containing an open reading frame of 432 bp. The predicted OsLSD1 protein (143 amino acid residues) contains three internally conserved zinc finger domains. Southern blot indicated that OsLSD1 is a single-copy gene in rice. Furthermore, the OsLSD1 gene was expressed constitutively in rice root, stem and leaf. Using Bioinformatic tool, five and seven LSD1-like genes were identified from the databases of Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. The gene structure and domain organization of these LSD1-like genes were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of their coding sequences and predicted amino acid sequences suggested these genes can be classified into two classes, and a gene duplication event was identified. Although there is no specific class of LSD1-like gene in Arabidopsis or rice, some rice-specific zinc finger domains are found.