Final answer:
A single bacterial cell generally has one circular chromosome, which is supercoiled to fit within the small cell size, as exemplified by the 4.6 million base pair genome of Escherichia coli.
Step-by-step explanation:
How many chromosomes are likely to be found in a single bacterial cell? A typical bacterial cell, such as Escherichia coli, has a single circular chromosome composed of double-stranded DNA. This stands in contrast to eukaryotic cells, which have multiple, linear chromosomes. The bacterial genome is highly compacted through a process known as supercoiling, aided by proteins and enzymes like DNA gyrase. The genome size of E. coli, a well-studied prokaryote, is about 4.6 million base pairs. In conclusion, a single bacterial cell is typically likely to have one chromosome.