Final answer:
A silent mutation does not change the amino acid sequence, while a missense mutation changes a single amino acid which could affect protein function. A nonsense mutation leads to a premature stop codon and typically a nonfunctional protein, and a frameshift mutation changes the reading frame, often resulting in a completely altered and nonfunctional protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Genetic Mutations
Genetic mutations can alter a gene product in several ways, depending on the type of mutation that occurs. A silent mutation does not alter the amino acid sequence of a protein because the new codon still translates to the same amino acid, often due to the redundancy of the genetic code. In contrast, a missense mutation changes a single base pair, resulting in a different amino acid being incorporated into the protein; depending on the chemical properties of the substituted amino acid, it can retain function or cause a malfunction in the protein's activity.
A nonsense mutation is a more severe type of mutation where the base pair change leads to the introduction of a premature stop codon. This typically results in a truncated protein that is usually nonfunctional. Finally, a frameshift mutation occurs due to the insertion or deletion of nucleotides in a number that is not a multiple of three, which changes the reading frame of the genetic code, typically resulting in a completely altered and nonfunctional protein after the point of mutation.