A silent mutation is a DNA change that does not alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, so the protein usually stays the same. This happens because the genetic code is redundant: different codons can code for the same amino acid.

Quick Scoop

  • What it means: A mutation in a coding region that still produces the same amino acid.
  • Why it’s called “silent”: The protein sequence does not change, so the effect is often minimal or none.
  • Important nuance: “Silent” does not always mean completely harmless, because some synonymous changes can still affect splicing, translation, or gene expression.

Example

If one codon changes from one version to another but both codons still specify the same amino acid, the protein sequence remains unchanged.

If you want, I can also give you a one-line definition , a simple diagram , or compare silent vs missense vs nonsense mutations.