Question

In nucleic acids, the difference between deoxyribose and ribose lies at carbon

a) 1'
b) 2'
c) 3'
d) 4'
e) 5'

Answer 1

The difference between deoxyribose and ribose is at the 2' carbon; deoxyribose lacks a hydroxyl group at this position while ribose has it.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference between deoxyribose and ribose in nucleic acids lies at the 2' carbon. Deoxyribose, found in DNA, lacks a hydroxyl (-OH) group at this position, having only a hydrogen atom attached, which gives it the name "deoxy-" meaning "without oxygen." In contrast, ribose, which is found in RNA, includes a hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is b) 2'.