Given below are two statements: Statement I: A naturally occurring nucleoside derived from RNA consumes 1 equivalent of periodic acid ( HIO₄ ) upon complete reaction. Statement II: A naturally occurring nucleoside derived from DNA consumes 0 equivalents of periodic acid ( HIO₄ ) upon complete reaction. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Step-by-step solution

A nucleoside consists of a nitrogenous base attached to a pentose sugar via a -N-glycosidic linkage at the C1' position. The ring oxygen connects C1' and C4'. In an RNA nucleoside, the sugar is -D-ribofuranose. The free hydroxyl groups are located at C2', C3', and C5'. The -OH groups at C2' and C3' are adjacent to each other, forming a vicinal diol. Periodic acid ( HIO₄ ) specifically cleaves the C-C bond of vicinal diols. Therefore, the C2'-C3' bond is cleaved, consuming exactly 1 equivalent of HIO₄ . Statement I