Involved in the synthesis of both phthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIMs) and phenolic glycolipids (PGLs), which are structurally related lipids non-covalently bound to the outer cell wall layer of M.tuberculosis and are important virulence factors. a fatty acyl-CoA + H2O = a fatty acid + CoA + H(+) Deletion of the gene leads to a drastic reduction in PDIM and PGL production (PubMed:21592957, PubMed:21375593). Mutant shows increased susceptibility to several antibiotics (PubMed:21592957, PubMed:21375593). Mutant is highly attenuated when injected into the zebrafish embryo bloodstream, but virulence is retained when bacteria are injected into the notochord (PubMed:21375593). Deletion leads to an increase in growth yield in vitro (PubMed:21592957). Belongs to the thioesterase family.