Before a player starts their game, they can insert Genetic Code. These genes allow personalization of pathogens by providing boosts to how one infects people, reacts to different environments, acquires DNA, and just the playstyle in general of your pathogen.

Every time a player wins a game with a standard plague, they unlock one of the 25 genes, regardless of the difficulty level. The same goes for victories in the Neurax Worm. However, the other special plagues normally unlock one of their special genes. There are five different types of genes: DNA Genes, Travel Genes, Evolution Genes, Mutation Genes, and Environment Genes. Players can only have one of each type of gene per game, meaning that there are a large number of different genetic combinations that one can use for any disease (3,125 to be exact) . There are exclusive genes for Necroa Virus, Simian Flu, and Shadow Plague. On Android, you must buy the premium version for $1.00 in order to use the genes that you unlocked.

Standard Plague Genes

DNA Genes

ATP Boost

Gen Name	ATP Boost
Description	Get bonus DNA at the beginning (8 extra starting DNA Points)

Metabolic Jump

Gen Name	Metabolic Jump
Description	Get more DNA from popping red, biohazard bubbles. Similar to Cytochrome Surge and Catalytic Switch, which are for popping orange bubbles and Cure bubbles respectively.

Cytochrome Surge

Gen Name	Cytochrome Surge
Description	Get more DNA from popping orange DNA bubbles. This is extremely useful with Parasite, where orange bubbles become the primary way of getting DNA points.)

Catalytic Switch

Gen Name	Catalytic Switch
Description	Get bonus DNA from popping blue Cure bubbles Similar to Metabolic Jump and Cytochrome Surge, which are for gaining more DNA from popping yellow and biohazard bubbles.

Metabolic Hijack

Gen Name	Metabolic Hijack
Description	Orange and red bubbles are automatically popped. This also pops colony bubbles in the Simian Flu, potentially allowing for more relaxed gameplay. It doesn't give any more DNA for popping them, though.

Mutation Genes

Darwinist

Gen Name	Darwinist
Description	This gene increases the chance of your plague mutating (+0.4 mutation). The opposite of the gene Creationist. This can amplify the tendency of Virus to randomly mutate.

Creationist

Gen Name	Creationist
Description	This gene decreases the chance of your plague mutating (-0.4 mutation). The opposite of the gene Darwinist. This can inhibit the tendency of Virus to randomly mutate. It can be used to allow plagues to stay undercover for longer than usual.Viral Instability can be used to possibly override this Gene.

Genetic Mimic

Gen Name	Genetic Mimic
Description	Your plague is harder to cure (+0.15). Useful for Mega-Brutal campaigns, which involve very fast cures.

Base Hydrolysis

File:BaseHydrolysisIcon.png

Gen Name	Base Hydrolysis
Description	Your plague can mutate Abilities, but is easier to cure (-0.1 mutation, -0.05 cure requirement). Caution is advised when considering this gene for playing at higher difficulties.

Base Oxidisation

File:BaseOxidisationIcon.png

Gen Name	Base Oxidisation
Description	Your plague can mutate transmissions, but is easier to cure (-0.1 mutation, -0.05 cure requirement). Caution is advised when considering this gene for playing at higher difficulties.

Travel Genes

Teracyte

This gene increases the chance of your plague spreading by land (+7 land).

This gene is useful for infecting areas with multiple countries in close proximity to one another, such as Asia.

Aquacyte

This gene increases chance of your plague spreading by sea (+7 sea).

This is useful in situations where Island Countries can be particularly difficult to infect, such as Pirate Plague.

Aerocyte

This gene increases chance of your plague spreading by air (+7 air).

This is useful in situations where planes are less common than usual, such as Volcanic Ash and can boost Saudi Arabia games.

Suppression

Your plague is more likely to cross a closed land border. This is useful in bypassing situations where a plague would usually be locked out, such as shortly after discovery.

This gene is particularly useful in scenarios such as Xenophobia and Shut Down Everything.

Native Biome

This gene increases infectivity of your plague in its starting country.

Environment Genes

Xerophile

This gene gives your plague a bonus in arid climates (+0.5).

This is useful in spreading in countries with an Arid climate, such as Saudi Arabia.

Hydrophile

This gene gives your plague a bonus to infectivity in humid climates (+0.5).

This is useful in spreading in countries with a Humid climate, such as India.

Rurophile

This gene gives your plague a bonus to infectivity in rural environments (+0.5).

This is useful in spreading in Rural Countries, such as Argentina.

Urbophile

This gene gives your plague a bonus in urban environments (+0.5).

This is useful in spreading in Urban Countries, such as China.

Extremophile

This gene gives your plague a minor bonus in all environments (+0.2 in all environments).

Evolution Genes

Note: Mega-Brutal infected population cost increase still applies to the "stasis" genes. Cost will still increase, just at a lesser extent than without the "stasis" genes.

Ionised Helix

This gene grants bonus DNA when devolving (+2 DNA Points for devolution).

This gene is useful at lower difficulties because devolution of low-tier Symptoms, for example, frees up DNA Points that can be used to evolve higher-tier symptoms. In general, it reduces the total cost.

Translesion +

Costs to devolve don't increase. This is useful with Virus and/or high difficulty modes, because of high amounts of symptoms and high costs of symptoms respectively.

Sympto-Stasis

Symptom costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure（-0.1 infectivity in all environments, -0.1 cure requirement).

Caution is advised when considering the use of this gene at higher difficulties. This is a very powerful gene for all standard plagues of which it is available, as costs can skyrocket to expensive heights.

Trans-Stasis

Transmission costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure (-0.1 infectivity in all environments, -0.125 cure requirement).

Caution is advised when considering the use of this plague at higher difficulties. Useful for Neurax Worm.

Patho-Stasis

Ability costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure (-0.1 infectivity in all environments, -0.11 cure requirement).

Caution is advised when considering the use of this gene at higher difficulties. Useful Fungus and Bio-Weapon, because each spore bursts can be bought with 1 DNA point and Unlock Annihilate gene and Gene Compression can be bought easily respectively.

Special plague genes

Necroa Genes

(Exclusive to Necroa Virus, replacing Evolution)

Autolytic Reduction

This gene slightly decreases the speed at which zombies decay, allowing them to be dangerous for longer periods of time.

Cytopathic Boost

Infected corpses are more likely to reanimate as a zombie.

ThermoNecro

This gene reduces the zombie rate of decay in countries with a Hot climate.

This increases the effectiveness of zombies in hot countries.

Can be combined with Mummification for effectiveness.

Spliced Activation

Active abilities cost less DNA (from 5 to 3) to use.

This allows the player to invest more DNA Points in improving the deadliness of their zombies if they wish to do so.

Dopamine Inhibitor

This gene increases the chance of a zombie victim becoming a zombie.

Ape Genes

(Exclusive to Simian Flu, replacing Mutation)

Viral Affinity

This gene increases the rate of ape-to-ape transmission.

Call of the Wild

Apes are less likely to be found by humans.

This gene can be used to ensure the humans take a longer time to figure out that the Simian Flu is causing the apes to behave erratically.

Together Strong

This gene increases DNA gained from colonies (+1 DNA).

Leadership

Active abilities cost less DNA to use (1/2 cost).

This gene allows the player to invest more DNA Points into either improving their apes or negatively impacting humans.

Adrenal Surge

This gene increases ape strength and speed, but it is lethal over time.

The latter portion makes this gene potentially useful in a Simian Flu

Artificial Genes

(Exclusive to Simian Flu, replacing Evolution)

Cortisol Sensitivity

This gene reduces research from Gen-Sys experiments on apes.

This has the effect of reducing the effectiveness of the Cure effort.

Latent Catalyst

This gene allows you get DNA when a Gen-Sys lab is destroyed.

Ion Deficit

It costs more to devolve, but it also makes the Simian Flu harder to cure.

Ion Surge

It costs less to devolve, but the Simian Flu is easier to cure.

ATP Overdose

Bonus DNA is given at the start, but it costs significantly more to devolve (+15 starting DNA Points), (20 more points devolution cost).

Shadow Genes

(Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing DNA Genes)

Witch Doctor

Vampire heals faster when in its lair

Shadow Spawn

Vampire less likely to be spotted in countries with lairs

Mad Scientist

All bubbles are automatically popped for you

Unholy Engineer

Harder for drones to target lairs

Frugal Researcher

Lair DNA bonus triggers with fewer infected people

Blood Genes

(Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing Travel genes)

Healthy Eater

Increases vampire maximum health

Brawler

Vampire Blood Rage ability doesn't cost DNA

This is means blood rage ability's costs will be disabled, making it similar to Budget Bat.

Harvester

Vampire gets more DNA when consuming people using Blood Rage

Scavenger

Vampire gets more DNA from destroying labs and Templar Bases

Berserker

Vampire Blood Rage ability kills more people

Flight Genes

(Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing Environment genes)

Bat Bolt

Vampire Flight range increases

Fair Weather Bat

Vampire flies faster when not injured

Socially Awkward Bat

Vampire starts Blood Rage automatically when entering a new country

Doesn't work with Brawler.

Budget Bat

Vampire Flight ability doesn't cost DNA

Aerophobic Bat

Vampire flies faster but damages health

Unlocking via Gameplay

You can unlock genes by playing the game. Below are some ways people found which gene gets unlocked by which action, mostly tested on mobile (Android/iOS):

Beating a Bacteria, Virus, Fungus, Parasite, Prion, Nano-Virus, Bio-Weapon, Neurax Worm level likely unlocks any random gene.
Beating a Necroa Virus level likely unlocks a Necroa Gene
Beating a Simian Flu level likely unlocks a Simian/Artificial Gene
Beating a Shadow Plague level likely unlocks a Shadow/Flight/Blood Rage Gene

Multiplayer genes

Here is a list of some genes on Multiplayer games. Some of the genes on Multiplayer are VS Mode exclusive. This list is less outdated than it was, but is still none-the-less incomplete.

Hydrophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in arid climates, but a penalty in humid climates.

(+1.33 arid, -1 humid)

Xerophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in humid climates, but a penalty in arid climates.

(-1.33 arid, +1 humid)

Urbophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in rural environments, but a penalty in urban environments.

(-0.67 urban, +0.57 rural)

Rurophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in urban environments, but a penalty in rural environments.

(+0.67 urban, -0.57 rural)

Pharmaphile: Gives your plague a bonus in wealthy countries, but a penalty in poor countries.

(+0.12 rich, -0.5 poor)

Pharmaphobe: Gives your plague a bonus in poor countries, but a penalty in wealthy countries.

(-0.12 rich, +0.5 poor)

Frigophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in hot countries, but a penalty in cold countries.

(+0.1 hot, -0.16 cold)

Thermophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in cold countries, but a penalty in hot countries.

(-0.1 hot, +0.16 cold)

Benign infection: Your plague is harder to cure but you start with less DNA.
Unstable inception: Get bonus DNA (+9) at the beginning, but your starting country will be selected randomly.
Base Hydration: Your plague can mutate transmissions and abilities, but costs to evolve will increase quickly.
Innocent Infection: Your plague will find it easier (+50%) to infect people that are already infected by other diseases, but harder (-50%) to kill them.
Deadly Disinfectant: Your plague will find it easier (+50%) to kill people that are infected by other diseases, but harder (-50%) to infect them.
VS mode Exclusive Safe house: Get more DNA (from 2 to 4) from bubbles in your starting country, but your opponent gets bonus DNA (+6) when it is discovered.
VS mode Exclusive Search and Destroy: Get a DNA bonus from finding your opponent's starting country. The bonus decreases the longer it takes. If you find your opponent's starting country in 0 days, the bonus will be 40 DNA points. The bonus will be decreasing by 0.13 per day.
VS mode Exclusive Peekaboo: See which countries your enemy has infected but gain less DNA (-6) when discovering thier starting country.

Trivia

The Mutation Genes,(Base Oxidisation & Base Hydroylsis) Evolution Genes, (Sympto-Statis, Patho-Statis, & Trans-Statis) And Multiplayer genes have good and bad sides.
Neurax Worm is the only special plague that dosen't have its own special genes.

Genetic Code