Probably acts on the acetaldehyde produced by the degradation of ethanolamine, producing ethanol. Expression of the eut operon allows this bacteria to use ethanolamine (EA) as a carbon, nitrogen and energy source. It relies on cobalamin (vitamin B12) both as a cofactor for the ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) activity and to induce the operon (PubMed:3045078). EA enhances bacterial survival in macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting it is an important nutrient during infection (PubMed:29531136). ethanol + NAD(+) = acetaldehyde + H(+) + NADH Amine and polyamine degradation; ethanolamine degradation. Part of the 17-gene eut operon transcribed from a single promoter, induced by ethanolamine and adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl, vitamin B12). Unable to grow with ethanolamine (EA) as sole carbon source. Slightly attenuated in a mouse model of infection (PubMed:7868611). Not required for aerobic growth on EA supplemented with cobalamin (vitamin B12). A double eutJ-eutG deletion is not required for growth on EA supplemented with vitamin B12 (PubMed:10464203). A non-polar deletion mutant grows on EA at pH 5.5 to pH 7.0 but not at pH 8.0 or pH 8.5, releases increased amounts of acetaldehyde on EA plus vitamin B12. Preventing acetaldehyde vapor loss allow growth up to pH 8.5 (PubMed:16585748). Belongs to the iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family.