Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising a biologically pure culture of a Paenibacillus sp. strain comprising a mutant DegU lacking a functional receiver domain or a functional DNA binding domain and/or a mutant DegS lacking a functional single binding domain or a functional ATPase domain with decreased viscosity in a liquid culture. Also provided is a method of identifying a Paenibacillus sp. mutant derivative strain with decreased viscosity in a liquid culture compared to a Paenibacillus sp. parental strain with a visual screen for mutant isolates with a non-mucoid morphology.