A genomic library of bacterial strain Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus was constructed and the plasmid DNA of the clone, containing the gene encoding beta-d-galactosidase with beta-d-fucosidase activity, detected by 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl beta-d-galactopyranoside, was sequenced. Cells of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) were used for production of the enzyme in the form of a histidine-tagged protein. This recombinant fusion protein was purified using Ni-NTA agarose affinity chromatography and characterized by using p-nitrophenyl beta-d-fucopyranoside (K(m) value of (1.18 +/- 0.06) mmol/L), p-nitrophenyl beta-d-galactopyranoside (K(m) value of (250 +/- 40) mmol/L), p-nitrophenyl beta-d-glucopyranoside (K(m) value of (77 +/- 6) mmol/L), and lactose (K(m) value of (206 +/- 5) mmol/L) as substrates. Optimal pH and temperature were estimated as 5.5 and 65 degrees C, respectively. According to the amino acid sequence, the molecular weight of the fusion protein was calculated to be 68.6 kDa and gel filtration chromatography confirmed the presence of the enzyme in a monomeric form. In the following step, its ability to catalyze transfucosylation reactions was tested. The enzyme was able to catalyze the transfer of fucosyl moiety to different p-nitrophenyl glycopyranosides (producing p-nitrophenyl beta-d-fucopyranosyl-(1,3)-beta-d-fucopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl beta-d-fucopyranosyl-(1,3)-alpha-d-glucopyranoside, p-nitrophenyl beta-d-fucopyranosyl-(1,3)-alpha-d-mannopyranoside, and p-nitrophenyl beta-d-fucopyranosyl-(1,6)-alpha-d-galactopyranoside) and alcohols (producing methyl beta-d-fucopyranoside, ethyl beta-d-fucopyranoside, 1-propyl beta-d-fucopyranoside, 2-propyl beta-d-fucopyranoside, 1-octyl beta-d-fucopyranoside, and 2-octyl beta-d-fucopyranoside). These results indicate the possibility of utilizing this enzyme as a promising tool for enzymatic synthesis of beta-d-fucosylated molecules.