Diurnal variations of in vitro and in vivo (intact tissue assay) nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) activity and stability were examined in leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Runar), oat (Avcna saliva L. cv. Mustang) and barley (Hordeum vulgure L. cv. Agneta and cv. Gunillu). Nitrate reductase activity was generally higher for wheat than for oat and barley. However, the diurnal variations of nitrate reductase activity and stability were principally the same for all species, e.g. the high activity during the photoperiod was associated with low stability. All species showed a rapid (30‐60 min) increase in the in vitro and in vivo activity when the light was switched on. When light was switched off the in vitro activity decreased rapidly whereas decrease in in vivo activity was slower. These experiments support the hypothesis that an activation/ deactivation mechanism is involved in the regulation of diurnal variations in nitrate reductase activity. Red light enhanced nitrate reductase activity in etiolated wheat and barley leaves. In green leaves, however, the daily increase in nitrate reductase activity was not induced by a brief red light treatment. Indications of different regulation mechanisms for the diurnal variations of nitrate reductase activity among the cereals were not found.

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Peripheral blood lymphocytes consisting mainly of neoplastic B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL cells) showed a markedly reduced response to the human B-cell mitogens anti-beta2 microglobulin, Sepharose-bound protein A and Sepharose-bound anti-human immunoglobulin (anti F(ab')2) in all of nine patients studied. On the other hand, CLL cells from three out of eight patients tested responded well to the calcium ionophore A23187. Sepharose-bound protein A and anti-beta2 microglobulin also failed to induce increased uptake of 86Rubidium (potassium analogue) in CLL cells as compared to B-cell-enriched preparations of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. The capacity of CLL cells to cap various surface markers including beta2 microglobulin was reduced. On the other hand, surface concentrations of beta2 microglobulin were not reduced as measured by fluorescein-labelled anti-beta2-microglobulin in single-cell cytofluorometry. It is concluded that various membrane-associated events elicited by ligand-receptor interactions are altered or blocked in CLL cells.