Answer:
A change in a nitrogen base can affect the function of a gene by being transcribed into a non-synonym codon and therefore also being translated into a distinct protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
A mutation is any alteration in the nucleotide (DNA) sequence of the genome of an organism.
During gene transcription, a specific DNA sequence is used as a template to create an mRNA sequence.
The linear order of triplets of nucleotides or codons in mRNA determines the order of amino acids that will be added to the protein during translation.
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a single mutation and has the potential to encode a different codon.
A non-silent mutation is a type of mutation that leads to the addition of a different amino acid in the resulting protein.
Non-silent mutations can be produced by insertions, deletions or SNPs.
In conclusion, a change in a nitrogen base can affect the function of a gene by being transcribed into a non-synonym codon and therefore also being translated into a distinct protein.