A　series　of　Au/ZrO　2　catalysts　with　low　content　of　gold　(<1　wt.%)　were　prepared　by　deposition-precipitation　method　and　evaluated　in　the　low-temperature　water-gas　shift　reaction　(WGSR)　under　H　2-rich　reformate　atmosphere.　The　effect　of　pre-calcination　temperature　of　ZrO　2　on　the　structural　and　surface　properties　of　the　freshly　reduced　Au/ZrO　2　catalysts　was　investigated　by　XRD,　N　2-　physisorption,　HRTEM,　UV-Vis　DRS,　AAS,　EPR　and　XPS　characterizations.　The　catalytic　evaluation　results　reveal　that　the　one　supported　on　ZrO　2　calcined　at　350°C　shows　the　best　catalytic　performance.　Correlating　to　the　characterization　results,　it　is　found　that　the　catalytic　performance　of　Au/ZrO　2　catalysts　strongly　depends　on　the　concentration　of　F-center　defects　on　ZrO　2　surface.　EPR　and　XPS　results　disclose　that　electrons　can　be　transferred　from　F-center　to　the　supported　Au,　resulting　in　the　formation　of　activated　electron-rich　Au　cluster,　which　is　responsible　for　the　high　catalytic　activity　of　the　Au/ZrO　2　catalysts.　Moreover,　the　electron　transfer　leads　to　the　firm　anchoring　of　Au　cluster　by　the　F-center,　thus　favoring　a　high　catalytic　stability.　It　is　proposed　that　the　active　site　for　WGSR　on　the　Au/ZrO　2　catalysts　can　be　expressed　as　Au　δ-[V　o　-]Zr　3+,　where　[V　o　-]　represents　an　F-center.　©　2012　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.