Induces low levels of natural DNA uptake by inducing transcription of the competence genes (the CRP-S regulon) required for DNA transformation. Induction of the CRP-S regulon also requires Sxy-activated promoter (CRP-S), cAMP receptor protein (CRP) and cAMP (PubMed:17068078, PubMed:22532864). Induces CRP-S site-containing genes which are involved in genome maintenance and transcription or encoding transposases and toxin-antitoxin pairs (PubMed:19502395). Not expressed by conditions that usually induce expression in other bacteria, such as amino acid starvation, antibiotics or addition of chitin. Induces its own transcription by a mechanism that requires CRP, cAMP and CRP-S site in its promoter. Negatively regulated at the post-translational level via degradation by Lon protease. Reduces both natural plasmid transformation and competitive fitness in long-term culture. Overproduction induces the expression of the competence regulon genes including ppdA, hofB and ssb, although to highly varying degrees (PubMed:25491382). Plasmid-borne expression leads to production of type IV pilin (T4P), the main subunit of the DNA uptake machinery (PubMed:19502395). Belongs to the TfoX family.