Well, nerds is nerds: Scientists named a homologue of Hedgehog, an important signaling pathway and one of the key regulators of animal development ….Sonic.

I mean look at this thing! It’s like a damned Sonic level in itself - you’re doing loop-de-loops through the whole thing, shooting off gold ramps, avoiding the Robotnik-created “Zn” bomb, and trying to get to the Chaos Emerald Atom high in the sky.

SUPER-IMPORTANT NOTE: a mutation of this gene can cause Holoprosencephaly, aka CYCLOPS KITTY DISEASE.
I mean, famous mammal’s namesake kills other famous mammal - do you realize the potential for an educational spin-off here? CAPTAIN NOVOLIN, EAT YOUR HEART OUT.