A novel bacterial strain, DS-1T, was isolated that degrades heteropolysaccharide produced by the cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. The isolate was identified by a combination of phenotypic characterization, cellular fatty acid analysis, DNA base composition, DNA-DNA hybridization and 165 rRNA gene sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis placed strain DS-1T within the Paenibacillus cluster on a phylogenetic tree and the phenotypic characteristics of this strain appear to be similar to those of Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus IFO 15724T and Paenibacillus kobensis IFO 15729T. The strain was distinguished from P. curdlanolyticus IFO 15724T and P. kobensis IFO 15729T by its ability to degrade the polysaccharide of Nostoc commune, by assimilation of rhamnose, inositol and L-fucose and by its wide range of optimal growth temperature (28-37 degrees C). Like other Paenibacillus species, this strain contains anteiso-C15:0 as a major cellular fatty acid, and it has a DNA G+C content of 50.5 mol %. Based on these results, it is concluded that this isolate should be placed within a novel species of Paenibacillus, Paenibacillus glycanilyticus sp. nov., with the type strain DS-1T (= IFO 16618T = JCM 11221T = NRRL B-23455T).