Cell-free extracts of Salmonella typhimurium synthesize a mutagenic azide metabolite from sodium azide and O-acetylserine. S. typhimurium mutant DW379 (O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-deficient) extracts were neither able to carry out this reaction not produce the mutagenic azide metabolite in vivo. The in vitro reaction was inhibited by sulfide but not by L-cysteine. The catalytic activity responsible for the mutagenic metabolite synthesis was stable to brief heating up to 55 degrees C and had a pH optimum between 7-7.4. These results suggest that the enzyme O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase catalyzes the reaction of azide with O-acetylserine to form a mutagenic azide metabolite.