Active on a wide variety of primary alcohols and their corresponding aldehydes, but not against ketones nor secondary alcohols. Active on aliphatic compounds up to 5 carbons in length and aromatic alcohols, less effective on branched-chain primary alcohols. Prefers NADPH to NADH. Its catalytic efficiency is greatest for aldehydes, suggesting the reduction of aromatic and medium-chain aliphatic aldehydes is its in vivo activity (PubMed:19411329). Plays a role in tolerance to internally produced ethanol (PubMed:28160048). a primary alcohol + NADP(+) = an aldehyde + H(+) + NADPH Zn(2+) and Co(2+) are equally efficient in vitro, Fe(2+) is less efficient. kcat is 9458 min(-1) for aceteldehyde. kcat is 9398 min(-1) for butanal. kcat is 9547 min(-1) for pentanal. kcat is 6475 min(-1) for cinnamaldehyde. kcat is 1641 min(-1) for ethanol. kcat is 1023 min(-1) for butanol. kcat is 789 min(-1) for pentanol. kcat is 3647 min(-1) for cinnamyl alcohol. Homotetramer. Induced by salt stress (0.5 M NaCl) under control of rre1 and hik34 (PubMed:15805106). Transcription induced by 0.5 M NaCl, 0.5 M sorbitol, heat shock (45 degrees Celsius) and benzyl alcohol (a membrane fluidifier) but not H(2)O(2) or high-light treatment; the induction kinetics are not all the same. Response to all stresses is mediated (in part) by two-component system rre1 and hik34. Expressed at a low constitutive level, protein levels increase 2 hours after sorbitol exposure and 8 hours after NaCl exposure (at protein level). Protein levels do not change upon heat shock (followed for 24 hours) (PubMed:19411329). Unable to grow heterotrophically on glucose in the dark. Cells photobleach and have significantly reduced survival in 4% ethanol, reduced tolerance to internally produced ethanol. Can be used to make bioethanol by insertion of a cassette with Z.mobilis pyruvate decarboxylase and endogenous adhA (this gene) into 2 loci (slr0168 and phaAB). Up to 5.5 g/L, 212 mg/L/day, of ethanol can be produced. Belongs to the zinc-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family.