Probably involved in aminoglycosides resistance and virulence. Overexpression increases resistance to the aminoglycosides amikacin (AK) and kanamycin (KM). A member of the dormancy regulon. Induced in response to reduced oxygen tension (hypoxia) (at protein level), low levels of nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). It is hoped that this regulon will give insight into the latent, or dormant phase of infection. No visible phenotype under normal or hypoxic and normoxic stationary phase growth, nor in mouse- or human-derived macrophage cell lines. Belongs to the universal stress protein A family.