Scientists have long known that obesity is associated with a host of other health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Now a team of researchers at King’s College London and the University of Oxford have shed light on why: a gene found in fat tissue acts as a “master regulator,” controlling the effect of a bunch of other genes that are linked to obesity, cholesterol and diabetes.

The master gene in question is called KLF14, and while it has previously been linked to Type 2 diabetes and cholesterol, the new research clarifies how — and offers a new target for treatment of obesity-related diseases.