What does a frame-shift mutation most likely cause in the resulting protein?

A frame-shift mutation occurs when nucleotides are added to or deleted from the DNA sequence, which disrupts the reading frame of the gene. This alteration affects the way the ribosome reads the mRNA during translation. Since codons—groups of three nucleotides—determine the sequence of amino acids in a protein, a shift in the reading frame will lead to the production of a completely different set of codons downstream from the mutation.

As a result, the amino acids that are incorporated into the protein may be entirely different from what was originally intended. This can drastically change the structure and function of the resulting protein, often rendering it nonfunctional or causing it to have entirely new properties. Therefore, the most likely consequence of a frame-shift mutation is the creation of a completely different amino acid sequence in the protein. This significant change underscores the critical role that the reading frame plays in the synthesis of functional proteins.