Part of the histidine permease ABC transporter. Also part of a lysine/arginine/ornithine transporter. Probably responsible for the translocation of the substrate across the membrane. Required to relay the ATPase-inducing signal from the solute-binding protein to HisP. The complex is composed of two ATP-binding proteins (HisP), two transmembrane proteins (HisM and HisQ) and a solute-binding protein (HisJ or ArgT). Belongs to the binding-protein-dependent transport system permease family. HisMQ subfamily.