A putative bidirectional acetate kinase that may drive flux through the ethanolamine degradation pathway under anoxic conditions. It may generate ATP that can be used by other enzymes (EutA and EutT) in the eut pathway. acetate + ATP = acetyl phosphate + ADP Amine and polyamine degradation; ethanolamine degradation. Belongs to the EutP/PduV family. In strain MG1655 the eut operon is interrupted by the CPZ-55 prophage, encoding 9 genes situated between eutA and eutB, which are translated in the other direction. CPZ-55 may prevent expression of the eut operon in strain MG1655. Strain W3110 does not have this prophage element and should be able to express the operon.