Answer:
The small-scale mutation that would most likely have the least negative effect on the function of a protein is ; ( A ) A substitution of one base for another within the sequence.
A substitution of one base for another within the sequence of a protein will cause an insignificant/silent mutation within the protein sequence and this mutation will not be evident in the protein.
When a base is deleted either near the start of a gene or near the end of the coding sequence, it will have a significant effect because this will change the sequence of the DNA ( due to the deletion of at least one nucleotide ).
Hence we can conclude that the small-scale mutation that would most likely have the least negative effect on the function of a protein is ; A substitution of one base for another within the sequence.
Step-by-step explanation: