Missense mutations are genetic alterations that occur when a single nucleotide is changed in a DNA sequence, leading to the production of a different amino acid in the translated protein. This type of mutation is also known as a non-synonymous mutation or an amino acid replacement mutation. It is the opposite of a silent mutation, where a nucleotide change does not result in a different amino acid. Other synonyms for missense mutation include coding mutation, replacement mutation, non-conservative mutation, and amino acid substitution. Identifying missense mutations is essential for understanding genetic diseases and developing targeted therapies to treat them. Researchers continue to investigate the implications and possibilities of these mutations, looking for new avenues to enhance health care and personalized medicine.