​Nonsense Mutation
Definition
A nonsense mutation occurs in DNA when a sequence change gives rise to a stop codon rather than a codon specifying an amino acid. The presence of the new stop codon results in the production of a shortened protein that is likely non-functional.
Narration
A nonsense mutation, or its synonym, a stop mutation, is a change in DNA that causes a protein to terminate or end its translation earlier than expected. This is a common form of mutation in humans and in other animals that causes a shortened or nonfunctional protein to be expressed.