Which type of mutation does NOT change the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein?

A silent mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that does not alter the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein. This typically occurs when a change in a nucleotide happens but does not affect the codon that codes for the same amino acid due to the redundancy of the genetic code. For example, the codons UUU and UUC both code for the amino acid phenylalanine; thus, changing one of the nucleotides in a codon that still codes for phenylalanine would be a silent mutation.

In contrast, frame-shift mutations disrupt the entire sequence of amino acids following the point of mutation, often leading to a completely different and nonfunctional protein. Missense mutations result in a different amino acid being incorporated into the protein, which can alter its function. Nonsense mutations create a premature stop codon, leading to truncated proteins. Each of these mutations has a significant impact on the resulting protein, while silent mutations maintain the existing amino acid sequence and, consequently, the intended function of the protein.