The genus Paenibacillus belongs to the family Paenibacillaceae and includes nearly 200 representatives of bacteria widely distributed in nature. In 1993 based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic (analysis of nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA gene) and chemotaxonomic data, some bacterial species from genus Bacillus were transferred to a new group described and designated as Paenibacillus by Ashetal [1], and emended by Shida et al. in 1997 [2]. Many of Paenibacillus species are known to display plant growth promoting activity, nitrogen fixation, phosphate-solubilizing action and ability to produce extracellular polysaccharides, enzymes, antimicrobials, phytohormones, siderophores. It appears logical therefore that these bacteria and/or their metabolites may find application in medicine, pharmacology, cosmetics, food and feed industry, agriculture, bioremediation technologies, etc. [3]. Earlier bacterial culture PS-K-17 was isolated from wash-offs of wheat grain grown on Belarussian fields. Following phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences (access code MF443394 inGenBank) the isolate was identified as Paenibacillus sp. PS-K-17. The aim of this study: investigation of cultural-morphological and physiological-biochemical characteristics of the strain to estimate its biotechnological potential. It was found that strain PS-K-17 is Gram-positive, catalase-positive, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped and motile (due to peritrichous flagella) bacterium forming ellipsoidal endospores. After 3 days of growth on Sabouraud agar medium the strain produced slimy beige colonies of irregular circular shape of 7–9 mm in diameter, gradually acquiring beige-rosy pigmentation, convex, smooth, and even-edged with viscous texture. After 2 days of growth on peptone-yeast agar with lactose (10 %, w/w) it formed colonies of 5–7 mm in diameter, convex, depressed in the center, viscous, smooth, of beige to beige-rosy color, with even margins. The strain Paenibacillus sp. PS-K-17 neither peptonizes milk nor liquefies gelatin. It assimilates glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, mannitol, lactose, maltose, sucrose, glycerol, pectin. It is capable to synthesize on agar media with specific substrates and in submerged culture the enzymes beta-galactosidase, amylase, protease, pectinase, cellulose, as well as extracellular polysaccharides and probably carotenoids. It does not possess antagonistic activity against yeast-like fungi Cryptococcus flavescens, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodotorula sp. – key components of microbial feed products currently developed at the Institute of Microbiology, NAS Belarus. The data presented above indicate attractive prospects for the use of bacterial strain Paenibacillus sp. PS-K-17 as a source of polysaccharides and enzymes hydrolyzing plant polymers. Another plausible application is a constituent of a complex microbial consortium making up an active principle of a novel multifunctional feed additive.