Molecular and cellular luminescent biotests were used to reveal the effects of five alkylresorcinol homologues (C 7 , C 9 , C 11 , C 12 , and C 18 AR) on the thermally induced denaturation and refolding of bac terial luciferases, as well as on the synthesis of heat shock proteins. The ARs activities were found to depend on their fine structure and concentration. The direct heat protective effect of short chain C 7 and C 9 AR on the chromatographically pure Photobactrium leiognathii luciferase/oxidoreductase was shown within a broad range of concentrations (10 -6 -10 -3 M). The long chain ARs homologues exhibited a similar heat protective effect at micromolar concentrations only, while their millimolar concentrations increased the sensitivity of the model proteins to thermal treatment. The recombinant strain Escherichia coli K12 MG1655, bearing con stitutively expressed Vibrio fischeri luxAB genes was used to investigate the ARs effect on the intracellular chaperone independent refolding of bacterial luciferase. The functional activity of heat inactivated enzyme was restored by micromolar concentrations of short chain ARs, while long chain homologues inhibited refolding over the wide concentration range. The recombinant luminescent E. coli strain bearing the induc ible ibpA'::luxCDABE genetic construction was used to determine the effect of ARs on the synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSP). The preincubation mode of bacterial cells with long chain alkylresorcinols led to the dose dependent stimulation of HSP synthesis (2.7 to 4 times), which confirmed that ARs function as "alar mones." Subsequent thermal treatment resulted in a 5 to 15 fold decrease of the following HSP induction compared to the control, while the number of viable cells opposite increased by 1.5 to 4 fold. Thus, pretreat ment of the bacterial cells with long chain ARs resulted in their preadaptation to subsequent thermally induced stress. Short chain ARs caused less pronounced HSP suppression, although this was still was accom panied by increased heat resistance of the AR pretreated bacterial cells.