Silent Mutation
Silent mutations do not affect the amino acid sequence of a gene and do not result in a mutant phenotype. These mutations are usually the result of point mutations that changes a codon into a synonymous codon.
Missense Mutation
Missense mutations result in a single change in the amino acid sequence of the gene product. These mutations are usually the result of a point mutation that changes which amino acid is specified by the mutated codon. Changes in the amino acid sequence commonly result in functional products due to the structural similarity between many amino acids.
Nonsense Mutation
A nonsense mutation results in premature termination of the translation process. Common causes of nonsense mutations include frameshift mutations, in which the addition or removal of a nucleotide shifts the reading frame, and other point mutations that result in a premature stop codon.
Our Mutation?
Our mutation was mostly likely a frameshift mutation (nonsense) in the gene that codes for ompF. A silent mutation would have no affect on the survivability of the cells in the presence of T2. A missense mutation, while possible, would not be likely because ompF may still be a viable receptor protein for T2 to attack even with minor structural changes.