The C-terminal part of CwlO shows a cell wall hydrolytic DL-endopeptidase activity. Detected in exponentially growing cells, the 50 and 30 kDa processing products disappear upon entry into stationary phase with the concomitant appearance of a 20 kDa products. The 50 kDa form persists in the absence of extracellular proteases (PubMed:11987133). Expressed during the early stage of the vegetative growth phase (PubMed:16233686). Not detected in stationary phase (PubMed:11987133). Positively regulated by the two-component system YycFG. Identified in the extracellular proteome as a number of processing products of about 50 and 30 kDa. Disruption of the cwlO gene affects neither the vegetative cell growth rate, cell morphology, motility, sporulation frequency nor the germination frequency. The N-terminal part of CwlO was shown to have no cell wall-binding activity. Belongs to the peptidase C40 family.