Final answer:
True, gene regulatory proteins including transcription factors bind to DNA and can disrupt the hydrogen bonding between base pairs, aiding in the unwinding of DNA during the transcription initiation process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement, "When a gene regulatory protein binds to DNA, it typically disrupts the hydrogen bonding between base pairs," is True. Gene regulatory proteins such as transcription factors bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene expression. During this process, some proteins, including the TATA-binding protein, cause the DNA to bend. This bending can partially disrupt the hydrogen bonds between base pairs which facilitates the unwinding of the DNA helix near the gene, a necessary step for transcription initiation. Enhancer and silencer sequences in the DNA serve as binding sites for transcription factors that can either enhance or silence gene expression, respectively. The binding of transcription factors to DNA, especially in the chromatin context of eukaryotic cells, often leads to structural changes that can allow the transcription machinery access to the DNA to start transcription.