Involved in the initial steps of the mycobactin biosynthetic pathway. Catalyzes the salicylation of the aryl carrier protein (ArCP) domain of MbtB through a two-step reaction. The first step is the ATP-dependent adenylation of salicylate to generate a salicyl-AMP intermediate. The second step is the transfer of this activated salicylate to MbtB to form a salicyl-ArCP domain thioester. ATP + H(+) + salicylate = 2-hydroxybenzoyl-5'-AMP + diphosphate 2-hydroxybenzoyl-5'-AMP + holo-[non-ribosomal peptide synthase] = AMP + H(+) + salicyl-[non-ribosomal peptide synthase] Inhibited by salicyl-AMS, an acyl-AMP analog (PubMed:16407990, PubMed:17181146). Also inhibited by 5'-O-[(N-acyl)sulfamoyl]adenosines (PubMed:17967002). kcat is 42.7 min(-1) for the adenylation reaction. Siderophore biosynthesis; mycobactin biosynthesis. Induced by iron starvation conditions. Transcriptionally repressed by IdeR and iron. Belongs to the ATP-dependent AMP-binding enzyme family.