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Scientists have discovered a protein that could control how much fat accumulates in the body.

New research on worms revealed that Maf1, a protein that controls the making of other proteins in the cell, has the ability to control fat levels in the body.  Researchers said the latest findings are important because a version of the Maf1 protein exists in humans, raising the possibility of controlling fat storage in overweight or obese people.

"We've known about Maf1 for over a decade, but so far people have only studied it in single cells, where it is known to regulate protein synthesis," study author Sean Curran, assistant professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology, said in a news release. "No one really looked at its effect on the whole organism before."

Experiments on C. elegans, a transparent worm often used as a model organism by scientists, reveal that adding a single extra copy of gene that expresses Maf1 decreased stored fat by 34 percent, while reducing Maf1 levels increased stored fat by 94 percent.

Research said the next step is to replicate the findings in mice and humans.

The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports.