Sonic (the) Hedgehog

I read today of a signaling protein named "sonic hedgehog." This is a startling name for a signaling protein for anyone out of the 16bit generation such as myself. It was apparently dubbed "hedgehog" when it was discovered in the 1980's to produce a spiny mutation in fruit fly larva. In the 90's it was discovered to be present in vertebrates and was given the "sonic" qualifier by a postgraduate with a propensity for gaming. Lack or deficiency of the sonic gene is responsible for dividing the forebrain into its two hemispheres. Failure of hemisphere division results in a condition known as holoprosencephaly meaning "whole forebrain" or cyclopia.

From: Mutants