Question

which mutation would have the most significant impact on the gene product

Answer 1

The type of mutation that typically has the most significant impact on the gene product is a **nonsense mutation**.

A nonsense mutation occurs when a single nucleotide change results in the creation of a premature stop codon in the mRNA sequence. This leads to the production of a truncated, incomplete protein that is often nonfunctional. In many cases, this can lead to serious consequences for the organism, as the normal function of that protein is crucial for cellular processes.

Other mutations, like missense mutations (which result in a different amino acid being incorporated into the protein), can also have significant effects, but the impact can vary widely depending on the specific amino acid change and its location within the protein. Silent mutations, which do not change the amino acid sequence due to the redundancy of the genetic code, generally have no impact on the gene product.

In summary, while there are various types of mutations that can affect gene products, nonsense mutations are often the most severe in terms of impact.