Final answer:
Activator proteins bind directly to enhancers to activate transcription by stabilizing the DNA and enabling RNA polymerase binding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Activator proteins bind directly to enhancers to activate transcription. When activators bind to enhancers, they acquire an affinity for protein cofactors that enable recognition and binding to other proteins in the transcription initiation complex. This attraction stabilizes the bend in the DNA, making it easier for RNA polymerase to bind and initiate transcription.