Involved in an anaerobic respiration pathway that converts the sulfonate taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate) to ammonia, acetate and sulfide. Catalyzes the initial metabolic reaction of anaerobic taurine degradation, i.e. the transamination reaction between taurine and pyruvate leading to sulfoacetaldehyde and alanine. Is also able to transaminate hypotaurine (2-aminosulfinate), beta-alanine and with low activity cysteine and 3-aminopropanesulfonate in vitro. In addition to pyruvate, 2-oxobutyrate and oxaloacetate can also be used as amino group acceptors. pyruvate + taurine = L-alanine + sulfoacetaldehyde hypotaurine + pyruvate = 2-sulfinoacetaldehyde + L-alanine 3-oxopropanoate + L-alanine = beta-alanine + pyruvate Optimum pH is 9.0. Optimum temperature is 35 degrees Celsius. Organosulfur degradation; alkanesulfonate degradation. Homotetramer. 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 class-III pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent aminotransferase family.