Required for disulfide bond formation in some periplasmic proteins such as PhoA or OmpA. Acts by transferring its disulfide bond to other proteins and is reduced in the process. DsbA is reoxidized by DsbB. Required for pilus biogenesis. PhoP-regulated transcription is redox-sensitive, being activated when the periplasm becomes more reducing (deletion of dsbA/dsbB, treatment with dithiothreitol). MgrB acts between DsbA/DsbB and PhoP/PhoQ in this pathway. Induction of the PhoP/PhoQ two-component regulatory system, suppressed by 50 uM CuSO(4). Belongs to the thioredoxin family. DsbA subfamily.