From English - German Ding/FreeDict dictionary ver. 1.9-fd1:
genes /dʒˈiːnz/
Gene <pl>, Erbanlagen <pl>, Erbfaktoren <pl>
"switch on specific genes" - bestimmte Gene einschalten / anschalten
"silence protective genes" - schützende Gene ausschalten / abschalten
Synonyms: units of heredity, hereditary factors
see: gene, unit of heredity, hereditary factor, floxed gene, homeotic gene, hox gene, mobile gene, jumping gene, transposable element, transposon, multigenic, switch off