The enzyme cleaves acyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] species with acyl chains of 6-16 carbon atoms although it appears to demonstrate a preference for the unacylated acyl-carrier-protein (ACP) and short-chain ACPs over the medium- and long-chain species [3]. Deletion of the gene encoding this enzyme abolishes ACP prosthetic-group turnover in vivo [3]. Activation of apo-ACP to form the holoenzyme is carried out by EC?2.7.8.7, holo-[acyl-carrier-protein] synthase.