Jatropha curcas is an economically important plant in terms of its seed oil. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this plant response to light signals are unknown. One group of DNA-binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factor genes exhibits circadian rhythms and plays a crucial role in the control of flowering time by photoperiod perception in plants. In the present study, a full-length cDNA designated JcDof1, containing a conserved Dof-DNA-binding domain, was isolated from J. curcas seedlings by yeast one hybrid library. Subcellular localization assays and yeast one hybrid systems confirmed that JcDof1 was localized to the onion epidermal cell nucleus, and exhibited DNA-binding and transcriptional activation activities in yeast. The JcDof1 expression was characterized by a circadian-clock oscillation under long day, short day and continuous light conditions, whereas in the etiolated cotyledons under continuous dark conditions, JcDof1 expression remained at relatively basal levels. Red and blue light downregulated the JcDof1 expression, but this effect was not observed under far-red light. Taken together, these results suggested that JcDof1 was a circadian clock-Dof transcription factor gene responding to light signals.