Final answer:
Regulatory sequences or elements are segments of DNA where transcription factors bind to regulate gene transcription.
Step-by-step explanation:
Short stretches of DNA that are involved in the regulation of transcription are known as regulatory sequences or regulatory elements. These sequences are crucial because they are where transcription factors, which are either activators or repressors, bind to control the transcription process.
Activators increase the rate of transcription by helping RNA polymerase to bind more effectively to the promoter, while repressors prevent transcription by blocking RNA polymerase's progress along the DNA strand.
Enhancers and silencers are two types of regulatory elements that, respectively, increase or decrease the transcription of associated genes. The configuration of these sequences and the chromatin structure are dynamic and can change during cell differentiation and development, affecting gene expression patterns inherited by descendant cells.