Involved in an anaerobic respiration pathway that converts the sulfonate taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate) to ammonia, acetate and sulfide. Catalyzes the NADH-dependent reduction of sulfoacetaldehyde to 2-hydroxyethane-1-sulfonate (isethionate). Does not accept acetaldehyde as a substrate. 2-hydroxyethane-1-sulfonate + NAD(+) = H(+) + NADH + sulfoacetaldehyde Organosulfur degradation; alkanesulfonate degradation. Up-regulated in the presence of taurine. In contrast to some members of the family, a metal cofactor is not required for catalytic activity. Taurine is an abundant dietary and host-derived molecule whose metabolism to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) by members of the human gut microbiota has many prominent connections to host health and disease. The human gut bacterium and opportunistic pathogen Bilophila wadsworthia produces H2S when respiring sulfite (HSO3-) released from organosulfonate substrates such as taurine and isethionate. Belongs to the iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family.