Final answer:
True, the prime designation is used to label the carbon atoms on the pentose sugar in nucleic acids, with the carbons being numbered as 1', 2', 3', 4', and 5' to avoid confusion with the numbering of the nitrogenous bases.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, the prime designation is indeed used to define the carbons on the pentose sugar in nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA. In the structures of nucleotides, there are two different kinds of cyclic rings: the pentose sugar ring and the nitrogenous base ring. The carbon atoms in the pentose sugar ring are numbered with primes (1', 2', 3', 4', and 5') to distinguish them from the atoms in the nitrogenous base ring, which are numbered without primes. This system helps to avoid confusion when referring to specific atoms within each ring.
For instance, the pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, and it differs from ribose (found in RNA) by lacking a hydroxyl group at the 2' carbon, hence the term 'deoxy'. The nitrogenous base is attached to the 1' carbon, while the phosphate group is usually bonded to the 5' carbon. These notations provide clarity in molecular biology, especially when discussing the structure of nucleotides and the formation of the backbone of DNA and RNA through 5'-3' phosphodiester linkages.